Meant To Be
by DiagonAlleyorBust
Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. The Slytherin prince wants to mind his own business but what happens when fate brings the two together? What happens when he helps her unwillingly? What happens when there are obstacles in the way of Draco to admit his feelings for her?Who will she choose? Main Draco/Hermione,Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione.
1. Chapter 1: Skipping and Tingles

"Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. ;) NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione.**

Chapter 1: Skipping and Tingles

A voice is heard through the bustling crowd in Platform 9 3/4.

"Harry! Harry!" Harry turned his head towards the sound. Emerging from the crowd were his friends, Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley.

"Hi mate. How was your summer with Sirius?", Neville asked him.

"It was brilliant. Sirius thought it would be fun to go to Disneyland in Paris. He was so amazed by all the different rides there. How about you guys?"

"Mum just made us stay home, but Bill and Charlie stopped by a weekend so that was fun." Ron shared.

"Have any of you seen Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I think she should be arriving soon." Ron said.

"Harry! Ron! Neville!" A feminine voice exclaimed behind them.

The trio turned around and saw Hermione. Harry's heart skipped a little when he saw his other best friend. _Hmm that was weird. What was that? Harry thought._ He didn't think much of it. He thought if it happened again he would just go to the hospital wing.

Hermione was standing there beaming with happiness seeing her dear friends. She hadn't seen them since the start of summer. She went to a job her parents found her as an physical trainer assistant. Since the pay was good, she decided it was worth the try. She thought it was just paper and desk work, but it also had a physical portion to it. The physical trainer also helped her get in shape too whenever they arrived at the gym. They were always there a hour before his clients come in so he offered her free lessons. Now she looks and feels better than ever. She is slim toned. She found a spell that helps keep her hair tamed and beautiful. She matured in all the right places and her face is cute but womanly. All in all, she is past the awkward stage of puberty.

"Are you guys ready for our last year?" Hermione questioned.

"Ugh, school. Can it be over already?" Ron groaned.

"Let's head in and find seats before they are all taken." Neville said.

"Yeah, let's go!" Hermione said with excitement. She put her arms around Harry and tried to drag him in the train with her when he was trying to feed Hedwig a snack.

"Wait. Wait! Let me give this to Hedwig." She let go of him and waited as he finished handing the treat to the snowy owl.

"Okay. Done," he grinned.

"Great! Let's go!" She went and grabbed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. Harry's heart skipped again. _What is happening to me? This is weird. If it happens again, I'll just see Madame Pomfrey. Harry thought bewildered._

"I missed you guys so much," Hermione said as they headed down the hall following Neville and Ron. "Did you?" She looked up at him.

"Of course I did," Harry smiled. "I also bought souvenirs for everyone. I hope you like it."

"I definitely will," she smiled back.

Harry felt a tingle of warmth as he looked down at her.

"Found one!" Ron exclaimed a few compartments down.

Hermione turned towards Ron and let go of Harry's arm. _Why do I feel disappointed when she let go of me? He looked down to his arm of where she was._ He thought. She started to walk to the compartment that Ron was standing at.

"Thanks, Ron."

"No problem. Neville's already inside." Ron grinned.

They situated themselves in thr compartment.

"I have to head to the Heads Compartment soon." Hermione said.

"What?! You are Head Girl this year! That's great!," Neville exclaimed, "Who is Head Boy?"

"I'm not sure, but I guess I will find out soon," Hermione started to open the door.

"Oh wait, let me give you your souvenir I bought for you," Harry said. He handed a box to her.

She opened it up and it was a beautifully made glass Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The label was hand carved that said, "To Hermione, my best friend."

She felt ecstatic, "Harry, I love it."

She was so happy to have such great friends. These friends were for life. She went over to Harry and hugged him. Harry held on to her and squeezed her tight.

"Okay, I'm off then," Hermione headed out.

The three boys said their goodbyes. As she closed the door, she heard Ron say, "hey! Where is my thoughtful gift!?" and giggled.

She headed towards the front of the train. She arrived at the door and opened it. There he was sitting there in his Slytherin robe, the Head Boy.

"Hi there, Granger. I see you are Head Girl this year. Congratulations. Let's work well together, yeah?" He stated extending his hand for a handshake.

"Y-yes, of course. Congratulations to you too." She shook his hand.

 **End of chapter 1.**

A/N: what do you guys think? Should I continue this? Or is it a bust? Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2: If Only

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K. Rowling except the plot.

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione**

Chapter 2: If Only

 _*Summer before the last year*_

 _This is it. FitnessPlus._ Hermione arrived at the gymnasium that her new boss works at. She opened the door. _Wow. I was not expecting this._ The gymnasium was huge; the size of the building was as long as five basketball stadiums. She couldn't even see the end of the building. It had a staircase at the right side that rose to a higher floor. She introduced herself to the receptionist.

"Is that my new assistant, Megan?" A warm voice spoke out. A man of around 30 years old. He was handsome man with dark brown hair and a friendly smile. He was definitely a personal trainer because he was very toned and not overly muscular to the point of scary.

"Yes, Mr. Romano. She says her name is Hermione Granger."

"Yes, Ms. Granger. My name is Antonio Romano. Pleased to meet you. Are you ready for your first day?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

"Great. Follow me."

He showed her around and told her the office and desk tasks that she had to do as an assistant.

"So that's everything. My first client should be here soon. You can join in if you would like. I don't think he would mind; he's also my cousin and around your age. It can be an icebreaker for us and learn about each other."

"Um, are you sure it's okay to join in on a session someone's paid you for?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I insist!" He urged.

"I don't have any of my workout clothing."

"Not a problem! You can have one of our gym's uniforms." He handed a new set of clothes to Hermione. Still unsure, she took the clothes anyway.

"Okay, Hermione. I will meet you at the front in 15 minutes." She begrudgingly changed and met Antonio at the front. She was speaking with him about her tasks and clarified any questions she had about her job.

"Hey, Tony. I'm here. Let's do it," a voice behind her said.

Hermione turned around.

"Granger?", the voice asked.

"Zabini?!"

Antonio looked at both of them.

"You guys know each other? Even better! Let's get to it, shall we?" Antonio said happily.

They followed him to the machines. They stretched and went to the machines that Antonio told them to go on. After warming up, Antonio wanted them to move to a different section of the gym. Hermione was starting to follow Antonio and Zabini. Suddenly someone tripped and accidentally pushed on a tall rack to keep their balance. The tall rack started to lean towards Hermione's direction.

"Look out!" The guy said, too late to grab on the rack back towards himself.

She turned around and saw the tall dark object was looming over her. She closed her eyes, held out her hand, and braced for impact, but nothing. She slowly opened her eyes. Zabini was standing really close to her and was holding on to the rack.

He looked down at her and strained: "Hurry, move."

She quickly moved away from the area. He quickly dropped the heavy rack after he was sure she was out of harms way.

"Thank you, Zabini." Hermione said shyly.

"Blaise." He said.

"What?"

"Call me Blaise."

"O-oh, thank you Blaise."

"No problem, Hermione." When she heard him say her first name, she felt a little flushed. She thought back to when he was looking down at her with his dark brown eyes.

Snapping her out of her thoughts, Antonio asked worried, "Are you guys okay?" They continued their session with Antonio after he made sure everyone was okay. After that day whenever Blaise had a workout session with his cousin. Antonio made her join. During that summer, they shared stories and became close friends as if they knew each other for years. Hermione started to like him a bit more than friends, but she not wanting to ruin what they have, she doesn't act on her feelings and push for more.

*Present-Hogwarts Express*

"Hi there, Granger. I see you are Head Girl this year. Congratulations. Let's work well together, yeah?" He stated extending his hand for a handshake.

"Y-yes, of course. Congratulations to you too." She shook his hand. _Blaise is Head Boy this year?! I guess since we've been busy and haven't contacted each other the last few weeks, we didn't tell each other about our news. We are going to share a dorm together too. I'm so glad that I took that job and made such a great friend._

"What are you thinking about, Hermione?" Blaise leaned over and looked into her eyes still holding hands.

She started to feel hot as he looked at her playfully. She noticed that they were still holding hands. She tried to let go. He grabbed tighter, "Is there something you can't tell me?"

"No-nothing. It's nothing. I was just thinking about our summer." She smiled back. He pulled her to him and hugged her.

"Me too. I've never felt so comfortable with someone before. I can't believe we didn't talk to each other earlier. I missed out, but now we are best of friends, right?" He placed his chin on her head, smiled, and thought to himself. _She's so wonderful. I wish I had known her earlier and didn't have the blood prejudice drilled in me when I was little. She is better than most of the purebloods I know. I don't want to lose her no matter what even if we have to stay friends._

Hermione was buried in her chest feeling flustered. "Um, Blaise? I can't breathe. Mind letting go a bit?" She muffled.

Breaking away from his thoughts, he let go of her and smiled. "How have you been? Miss me?" He smirked.

"You wish. " She smiled and nudged him. "Of course, I did."

They went to the Head and Prefect meeting to familiarize everyone with their duties and each other. After the meeting, the two of them enjoyed their time together for the rest of the train ride.

"Oh, there is Harry and the others. Let me introduce you." Hermione said when she spotted her friends.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Hermione. They don't like Slytherins."

"Oh, come on. Don't worry. I will be there. Once they get to know you, they will love you like I do-." Before Hermione knew, she had already finished saying that last sentence.

 _Did she say love?_ Blaise thought.

"-you know, as a friend." She added quickly.

 _Oh of course, she would never like someone like me._ Blaise thought dejectedly.

 _Nice save, Hermione_. Hermione thought to herself. _You almost blew it._ "Come on, let's go." She said as she dragged him towards her Gryffindor friends.

Harry, Ron, Neville and Ginny were waiting for Hermione to show up so they can find a carriage together to the castle. Ginny joined the guys after she spent time with her other friends on the train.

"Where is she?" She scanned the crowd looking for the brunette. "Oh, there she is. Oh, she's bringing someone over with her." Ginny smiled. "A handsome someone."

The boys looked in her direction. Hermione was dragging someone in Slytherin robes behind her. Hermione reached to her friends.

"Everyone, this is-" she started.

"Zabini." Ron gritted.

"Right. He's Head Boy this year with me. I met him over the summer at my job. He's a great person once you get to know him. I hope we can get past the house rivalry and be friends." Hermione smiled.

"Any friend of Hermione's is a friend of mine." Ginny shared and smiled at Blaise.

"You can me Blaise." Blaise introduced himself.

"I guess if Hermione likes you, I'll try to be friends." As Harry said this, he looked down at where Hermione's and Blaise's arm where still linked. Harry felt a surge of jealousy.

He grabbed her arm and said, "Let's go before all the carriages are taken." He marched towards one of the last carriages pulling Hermione with him and everyone else except for Blaise following them in tow.

"Ow. Harry, you are hurting my wrist."

Harry stopped at the carriage and noticed he was holding her wrist too tight and let go shocked, "Oh! I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. What's gotten into you?" She asked.

He looked down at his hands and shook his head. "I don't know came over me. I just...just.." Harry groaned and ran a hand through his hair frustrated.

"It's okay." She said rubbing her wrist. She looked back. Blaise didn't follow them. He probably feels a little awkward. I'll just have him join us. She thought.

 _That's right. She has other friends that she's known longer. Potter obviously doesn't like her touching me. She would never like a snake. It's enough that we are friends. It's more than enough. I should just accept that we will never be able to be more than friends._ Blaise thought to himself bitterly.

"Blaise! Hurry! We saved you a seat!" Hermione's voice broke his train of thought.

He looked at the women he fell hard for these short months. _If only I had known you first_. He thought sadly and started walking to the carriage.

A/N: So, what do you guys think? Please review if you can. Thank you for giving my story a chance!


	3. Chapter 3: Only Friends, Nothing More

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K. Rowling except the plot.

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione**

Chapter 3 : Only Friends, Nothing More

The carriage slowed to a stop at the front of the castle. The soft warm breeze welcomed the students as they slowly climbed out one by one. Harry and friends started to slowly open up to Blaise during their short ride over. Their conversation stirred towards sports and Quidditch which made the air in the carriage less stifling as the first few minutes were.

The group headed their way to the Great Hall for the headmaster's speech. Walking ahead, Blaise, Harry and Ron were excitedly discussing about the most recent game between the Chudley Cannons and the Falmouth Falcons. Neville was walking beside them happily listening in on their conversation. Ginny and Hermione trailing behind them greeting close friends along the way to the Great Hall. The other students in the hallway saw the group and started to whisper and point.

"Is that Zabini with Harry Potter?"

"When did they become friends?"

"He's a Slytherin."

Hermione irritatedly gave death glares at every one badmouthing her new friend.

"So what if he's a Slytherin. We should all forget about the blood prejudice and house separation. If you get to know them, they are actually really good people." Hermione said loud enough for people around her to hear. Because they were a more than few steps in front, the boys did not hear her. The others students looked shocked for a minute and still continued talking and gossiping.

"Hermione, forget it. Some people are just stubborn like that. It will take a while for them to think the way we do." Ginny suggested.

"Yeah, but they don't even know him. They should give him a chance before bashing people based on their prejudice."

"It will take time. On a side note, I can't believe you become such close friends with Blaise. He seems nice. Easy to talk to." Ginny stated smiling trying to changed the subject.

"Yeah he is. He's great. I can't believe I didn't know him before. We immediately clicked." Hermione sighed happily.

Ginny looked at Hermione. She had a blissful expression on her face, but Ginny was worried. Hermione doesn't really listen to rumors or notice things around her unless it's about school. Blaise has a reputation as being very popular with the female population. He always treats them well and has been known to have had multiple relationships. "Hermione...you don't have feelings for him, do you?" She asked worriedly.

"What?! O-of course not!" Hermione quickly denied.

"Okay, good. It's best if you don't. He's a good guy, but I have heard that he doesn't believe in serious relationships. I just don't want you hurt."

"Yeah. I guess it's best to just stay friends." Hermione said forlornly.

They continued their way to the Great Hall. After saying their goodbyes, Blaise went off to greet his friends and join them at the Slytherin table.

"Hey mate. How was your summer?" Blaise asked his best friend as he arrived at the end of the table.

"Blaise! Same as always. Mum threw a gala that she forced me to attend, and we went to our family's villa in Spain for a few weeks. Haven't seen you all summer. Anything happen worth telling?" Draco Malfoy said to him as he watches the new first years shuffle in the hall nervously.

"Yeah. I made a new friend. She's amazing." He shared with his best friend as he looked wistfully over at the Gryffindor table. He quickly changed his expression so Draco wouldn't suspect.

Draco didn't notice Blaise's odd behavior. He was looking at all the Golden Trio and sneered. They are always "la la happy" and so optimistic that it's sickening especially the girl one. Ever since the incident that happened in their third year, he's been keeping an eye out on her. This year she seems different though. Draco wasn't sure why or what. "Oh. A new girl? Who is the lucky girl this time? Someone we know?"

"Yeah. She's a Gryffindor. I met her over the summer."

"Gryffindor?" Draco scoffed. "You are associating yourself with the lions? You are too nice to be Slytherin, mate. Next thing I know you are going to say your new friend is Granger." Draco joked.

"Actually-"Blaise started.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore, the headmaster started interrupting their conversation. Everyone fell silent to listen to his speech. The sorting hat ceremony went smoothly with several new students in each house. Everyone ate their fill until the headmaster asked for the Heads and Prefects to do their own individual duties of patrolling and guiding the first years to the dorms.

Hermione joined the Gryffindor group in guiding the new first years to their dorm. After she entered the dorm and showed the children around, her friends had already gone up to wash up. I guess I will head to the Head dorm. Where was it again? She pulled out the letter which showed the location and password of the dorm that was sent to her with her Head Girl letter and pin. She glanced over it and memorized the path.

 _Alright, shouldn't be too hard. I will see my friends tomorrow. They must be tired._ She started to head out and heard footsteps behind her. All the sudden, someone placed their hands over her eyes.

"Guess who?" Someone whispered in her ear.

She smiled. She knew that voice anywhere. "Harry!" She quickly turned around and faced him. The spin took Harry by surprise. His hands still in the same position as when he covered her eyes was now on the back of her head. Hermione's eyes now looking back at his. _Were her eyes this mesmerizing before? Wait..what am I thinking? What's going on with me? This is Hermione. Your best FRIEND._

"-ry. Harry. Earth to Harry. Helloo?" Hermione waved her hands in his face.

"Oh sorry about that, 'Mione. Where are you going?" Harry said breaking away from his thoughts and swung one of his arm around her shoulders.

"Going to the Head dorm now. Since everyone is turning in the for the night, I thought I might as well go find where this place is before it's too late."

 _Oh right, she's sharing a dorm with Zabini. He seems like a nice guy_. "I'll come with you so you don't get lost."

"Mind you, I don't get lost. You and Ron do, but let's go then."

Harry laughed as they both headed out of the tower.

* * *

Draco and Blaise made their way to the Head dorm when Blaise was done herding the new Slytherins to their dorms down at the dungeons. They heard sounds coming from their opposite direction.

"Oh my goodness. I can't believe that happened!" Hermione laughed loudly.

"I know! Sirius and I couldn't believe it either!" Harry said.

They two rounded the corner arriving at their destination and saw the two Slytherins.

"Blaise!" Hermione exclaimed happy to see him.

At that moment, Blaise saw that Harry had his arm around Hermione's shoulder. Blaise balled his fist. He wished he knew wandless magic immediately. He wanted Harry's arm off her. Blaise shook the thought away. _What is wrong with me? I have no right to think that. She's not mine. She's just my friend._

Draco looked at Blaise. "She's the girl?!" He said shocked.

"We met in the summer and now we are friends." Blaise confirmed.

"How can you be friends with her? She's a mud blood. She's dirty!" Draco spat.

"It doesn't matter. That kind of stuff do not matter. Drop that ignorant belief and you will see there are lots of people better than purebloods. Hermione is one of them." Blaise defended.

"Don't expect me to get all friendly with the Gryffindors even if you are friends with them. Hurry up and say the password so I can get my broom back."

Hermione felt mixed emotions. Elated that Blaise backed her up and depressed that people are still ignorant in these stupid different blood beliefs.

"Come on, Hermione. Ignore him; he's actually a softie." Blaise joked and opened the door for the four to go in.

"No, I'm not!" Draco retorted back.

"Let's go, Hermione." Harry urged her in pushing her back forward gently.

The dorm was well decorated and way too big for just two people. It had a small kitchen and dining table for four. There was a shared bathroom connect to two rooms: one for Head Girl and one for Head Boy. The colors of the living room was a handsome mixture of their two house colors. The rooms each had a queen bed, a desk for studying, and a balcony overlooking the lake.

"Wow, this looks nice." Harry commented as he joined her at the balcony of her room.

"I can't believe it. The view is so breathtaking." She said as she took in the scenery.

"Yeah..." Harry whispered as he looked at the girl in front of him. The cool breeze gently blowing her soft curls framing her face perfectly. Harry's heart jumped again. _Seriously, what is going on? Why am I reacting this way?_

"I'm so glad I met you and everyone. I'm so glad I came to this school. It never ends to amaze me. I'm on Cloud Nine right now." She said as she turned and hugged Harry. She placed her head on his chest.

"Me too." He smiled and looked down at the crown of her head. "Me too." He repeated.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Harry and Hermione, Blaise saw the whole exchange on her balcony from his. _From his glances at her, he loves her. How can he not? She probably loves him too. If she's happy, I'm happy. ... but why does my heart ache so much? I thought I made peace with myself. Being friends is already enough. I shouldn't be greedy. He's Harry Potter and she's Hermione Granger. They have been friends for years. I can't beat that._ Blaise sighed trying to turn away from the sight in front of him.

Draco saw his friend's reaction to the two. He was shocked. _Blaise wouldn't have feelings for the mudblood, would he? No, I'm imagining things._ He ignored the thought and took the thing he came for. "Blaise, I'm off then."

"What- oh right, okay. See you in class tomorrow mate." Blaise said as he finally tore his eyes away. He tried to cover up his emotions and bid Draco goodbye. He saw that Harry was also leaving.

"Take care of her for me." Harry said smiling to Blaise.

"Of course. She's my friend." He smiled back as he grips the door handle harder than normal feeling conflicted.

* * *

The first week of class went by smoothly. Everyone tried to familiarize themselves with their class schedules. For the past two days, Hermione had been having some migraine headaches out of nowhere. They came and went for a little while so she thought nothing of it. It was the weekend. Hermione was in her room looking for clothes to wear to go out with her friends to Hogsmeade. All the sudden, she felt a sharp pain.

"Ugh..." She groaned as she grabbed the side of her head. It was pounding more intense than usual. She gripped onto her dresser trying to steady herself. She started to feel herself black out. She tried to grab onto her chair to sit, but fell hard to the ground with a thud instead.

"-ger!"... "Granger!"... "-hear me?" She heard a male voice as she floated in and out of consciousness. She felt her body being lifted and carried out.

"T-thanks." She managed out weakly and ultimately blacked out.

A/N: So there you go, Chapter Three. Who do you guys think found her? Is it obvious? Haha 😂 How do you guys like it so far? Any type of critique is welcome. Thank you! You guys are awesome! Happy Holidays and One PPPUUNCCHH! 👊(I don't know if anyone will get this reference.) Cheers!


	4. Chapter 4: Confusion

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K. Rowling except the plot.

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione**

Chapter 4: Confusion

Draco Malfoy entered his friend's dormitory. He and Blaise agreed to meet to head down to Hogsmeade together.

 _I guess he's not here yet._ He thought to himself thinking he was the only one in the dorm, but suddenly he heard a noise coming from Granger's room.

 _Oh. That must be Granger ..._ A few minutes go by. _What in the bloody hell is taking Blaise so long? He thought impatiently._

He then heard a groan and later a loud thump then nothing. _What was that?_ He tried to ignore it, but something in his gut told him that something was wrong.

"Granger?" Draco called up. No answer. Sighing, he lifted himself up slowly and began treading to her room.

He knocked on her door and it creaked open a little. Thinking something was out of sorts, he pushed the door further, "Granger?-" he started and saw Hermione sprawled on the ground. _Oh bugger, she_ _must have fainted_. He thought. Kneeling slowly next to her, he shook her a bit. "Granger? Granger? Can you hear me?" He tried to get some response. She wasn't reacting.

He groaned knowing that he had to help take her to the hospital wing now. He wasn't going to leave her there unconscious. He is not that heartless. He searched for his wand. He reached into this pocket. Not there. His other pocket. No. _Damn, I must have left it back at my room._ He growled in frustration this time realizing he had to manually carry her. He lifted her up and adjusted her to a comfortable position.

 _She's lighter than I thought._ He noted.

Making sure she was secure in his arms, he started to head out the dorm. She finally stirred a little. "T-thanks." He heard Hermione say weakly and completely blacked out after. He scoffed in disbelief and disgust. _This girl...even when she's unconscious she's nice. If you knew it was me, you wouldn't be as grateful._

He continued to carry her out. As he was trying to walk as fast as he could go to the hospital wing, he heard people start to whisper about what they were witnessing.

"Is that Malfoy carrying Hermione Granger?"

"First Zabini, now Malfoy? What's going on?"

 _Do people have nothing better to do than gossip?_ He continued toward his destination quickly ignoring everything else. _Where the hell is Potter when you need the stinking git?_ He thought angrily.

Draco kicked the doors to the hospital wing open angrily when he arrived. Soon after, Madame Pomprey came bustling out of her office upset.

"Who's kicking my doors?" She huffed. She saw Hermione in Draco's arms and quickly changed her attitude. "Mr. Malfoy, what happened? Please set her down here." As she indicated to one of the beds. Draco placed Hermione slowly on the bed and told the witch what happened. Warily trusting in his story, she began to analyze and treat the younger witch.

* * *

Standing outside at the entrance of the castle, Harry and friends were waiting for Hermione to join them to walk to Hogsmeade together. As they were happily chatting with one another, a group of students leaving the castle were gossiping the latest.

...

"Did you hear? My friend said she saw Malfoy carrying Hermione Granger in the halls?"

"What? That's ridiculous."

"Yeah, I heard that some people saw him heading to the hospital wing. What happened to her? Why was he carrying her?"

...

Hearing this, Harry immediately bolted towards the hospital wing with Ron, Neville and Ginny in tow. On his way there, he encounters Blaise who is heading to the Head dormitory to meet up with Draco. He notices the frantic look on Harry's face. _What's going on?_ He thought as looked on in confusion.

"Hermione! Hospital Wing!" Harry shouts out to him as he continues to run.

Blaise followed him promptly and the two rush in the hospital wing making a ruckus upsetting Madame Pomprey the second time that day. She tried to shoos them away.

Blaise looked around and saw Hermione in one of the beds with Draco next to him.

He furrowed his brow. _What caused her to black out? I know she's been having headaches these past few days, but she said she was fine. Damn, I should have made sure._

Harry saw Malfoy and instantly grabs him by the collar.

"What did you do?!" Harry growled.

Draco looked at him amused by his reaction. "Before you assume anything, I suggest you let go of me." Draco calmly said. Harry tried to restrain himself and slowly but reluctantly removed his hand from the other boy's clothes. After brushing and correcting his clothes, Draco continued to explain what happened in the dorm.

Harry looked at Malfoy with displeasure not believing any of his story. Shortly after, Madame Pomprey came over to the boys to explain what she discovered with Hermione removing Harry's focus from Malfoy to her.

Hermione fainted due to exhaustion and stress. Hermione had more classes than most of the students her year on top of her Head Girl duties. She said that Hermione will need to be more careful the next few days, but for now she must rest. She continued to shoo them out of the room. As this was happening, the rest of the gang arrived and looked around for her worried.

Draco sees the group and decide it was time to make himself scarce. Blaise noticed the blonde exiting the room. Knowing Hermione was not in danger, he slowly followed him out.

Sounds of footsteps echo the halls as the Slytherins headed down from the hospital wing. Both deep in thought as they continued the path to the entrance of the castle.

 _What is so special about that mudblood for so many people to rush in to check on her? That's how Gryffindors are. So bloody loyal. Making such a big deal out of nothing. Stupid Scarhead even dared to put his hands on me._ Draco pondered and scowled. He glances over at his friend. .. _.but Blaise entered the same time as Potter. He looked out of character and a bit frazzled. I guess he was worried he would have extra Head duties... Yeah, that must be it..._

 _Hermione should be alright. I have no reason to stay. Her best friends are there._ Blaise thought to himself. _Since knowing her, she's always overworking herself. If it was just the two of us, I could be back there watching after her._ He thought sadly.

 **Flashback**

Blaise just completed his workout regime for the day. He headed to the gymnasium's cafe for a drink. He paid for his drink and turned to leave and saw a girl sitting alone in a quiet area of the cafe reading a book. With a second glace, he noticed it was Hermione Granger. His cousin, Antonio having the friendly and persistent personality that he had kept forcing Hermione to join in Blaise's workout with him. This gave them time and opportunity to know one another. Since the accident on the first day of her job, they started to be more corial and amicable with each other. He felt that she was pretty easy to talk to. He never thought he would be friends with a non pureblood. He didn't really hate them, but just didn't care to make the effort to know them.

"That book good enough to recommend?" He went up to her table.

Too focused on her book, she didn't hear him and continued reading.

"Hermione?" He tried again amused.

This time Hermione heard someone calling her name. She glanced up and saw Blaise with a smirk looking down at her.

"Blaise! Finished for today?" She asked him surprised.

He nodded slightly. "Came to grab a drink. Seems like a good book." He said motioning to the book she was holding.

"Oh yeah. My friend recommended it to me. Pretty interesting. It's a thriller mystery. I can lend it to you when I'm done if you'd like."

"Sure. I have to get going though. Just dropped by to say Hi."

"Yeah, I should get back. My break is almost over anyways." She shut her book, gather her things, and began to stand.

At that moment, a group of children just finished with their summer camp came running excitedly through the cafe. One of the children accidentally knocked into Hermione, but looked back quickly and shouted an apology. "Sorry lady!" He called back while keeping up with his friends.

Hermione surprised by the sudden impact began to lose balance. "Ah!"

Blaise swiftly grabbed her waist and pulled her up against his chest.

Time seemed to stop. He looks at her warm honey colored eyes. _Why does this feel right? Am I imagining things? I don't even know her that well._ He thought. _...But you could._ Another part of him decided. Breaking away from his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Stunned, Hermione reddens. "Y-yes. T-thank you." She stammered.

Wanting to stay in the position longer, he holds her a bit longer than necessary and released his hand slowly.

"Well, I have to go back now. I'll see you." She said regaining her composure.

"See you." He repeated keeping his gaze.

Hermione leaves for Antonio's office as Blaise turns to the exit. He left the building confused and deep in thought. Little did he know, at that instance he was starting to fall for her.

 **End Flashback**

The two Slytherins continued their way to Hogsmeade. Back in the hospital wing, Harry and his friends were trying to convince Madame Pomprey for them to stay until Hermione woke. She refused adamantly, and they pushed more until she compromised with letting one person stay. They decide to take shifts and promised to notify each other once she woke. After Ron and Ginny's shift, Harry stayed at her side.

It's nightfall; the bustling and chattering sounds of students in the halls turn to silence as students are asleep in their beds. He looks at her peaceful sleeping face.

He holds her hand with both hands. _I've never been so terrified. I had thought something horrible happened. Thank Merlin. I don't know what I would have done if something did._ He thought to himself as he rested his head on their clutched hands. He felt her stir, and his head shot up.

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. Her head was hurting a little, but not to the degree of when she was in her room. _Why? Why am I in the hospital wing? What happened?_ She looked around and saw Harry holding her hands looking elated. "Harry?"

"Hermione! You're awake!" He said happily.

"What.. what happened?" She asked hoarsely.

Harry proceeded to tell her that she fainted from overwork and stress. Madame Pomprey came out of her room and checks on Hermione again. After she was done, she told Harry to say his goodbyes and leave so Hermione could rest. Harry tried to protest.

"I'll be okay, Harry. Thank you for everything. I don't know what I would do with you." She said as she smiled weakly. His face flushes at her comment.

"I'll be back tomorrow as soon as visiting hours begin." He leaned over, hugged her, and left for the night. She nodded and watched him leave.

 _Harry must have found me and brought me to the hospital wing._ She thought smiling before tiredly drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Despite Madame Pomprey's effort to force her to stay, Hermione left the hospital wing the next morning. She was told to remember to be careful and take it easy for the next few days.

"Thanks for coming to see me, everyone." She beamed at her friends. "I'm fine, really. I need to go to meet up with Blaise for the Heads and Prefect meeting." Hermione assured. Her friends looked at her warily.

"I'm fine! I promise!" She said exasperated.

"If you feel even a slight uneasy, you stop what you are doing and rest." Ginny ordered still uneasy for her leaving the hospital wing so soon.

"Yes, yes. I know."

"If you need anything, you can have someone come and find us and we will be there as soon as we can." Neville added.

"I got it. I'm going to go now." She said amused by her friends.

"I still have time before our Quidditch practice. I'll walk her to the meeting." Harry volunteered. He walked next to her and picked up her belongings.

"Thanks, Harry." She said looking up at him. "Thanks everyone. Don't worry." She hooks her arm with Harry's and they make their way to the meeting room. Harry's side feeling hotter than normal. This action made his heart skip another time. _This means nothing. This is just me feeling happy that my FRIEND is fine and out of the hospital wing. This means NOTHING._ He tried to convince himself.

They see Blaise waiting for her inside the room at the front of the room.

"Hermione? Madame Pomprey let you out already?" Blaise asked surprised.

"I told her I was fine, but she tried to make me stay. I prevailed in the end." She smiled.

"What? Then shouldn't you have stayed?"

"Not you too..."Hermione said with a sigh.

"Don't waste your breath, Blaise." Harry spoke up. "We tried already. She's too bloody stubborn."He turns to Hermione with a playful glare causing her to giggle. "Well, I'm off then. See you guys later."

They said their goodbyes. People started to fill in and the meeting was under way.

"Thank you for everyone to come on time. We have two main points to talk about today." Blaise started.

"First off, Dumbledore has informed us he has scheduled two balls this year. He wants to improve Interhouse relationships. The first one will before winter break and the second before the end of the year. The winter ball will have a winter masquerade theme and the spring ball will have a moonlight night theme. Dates are not required although recommended. We Heads alongside Prefects will take shifts during the nights to monitor students." Hermione presented to the room. Unable to control their excitement, the Prefects started to chatter and talk animatedly about the news.

Blaise raised his left hand and cleared his throat. "I know you all are excited, but we need to finish this meeting." They started to settle down and Blaise began to speak. "Second main point, the game keeper will be bringing in a dangerous creature for the sixth years this week. Please be on the look out."

"What is the creature?" A Prefect spoke up.

"A baby occamy. Although it's only one and a half years old. It is still considered dangerous. Please do not approach it unless in emergency. It is very aggressive when you do."

Hermione and Blaise then took turns with the rest of the small discussion points for the meeting. As everyone else shuffled out, the two stayed back picking up their papers.

"Ready to head out?" Hermione asked Blaise closing her bag. She started to pull up her bag when all the sudden, Blaise swiftly took her bag and slung her and his bag on his left shoulder. "Yes." He answered confidently. "Where to?"

"You didn't have to. Thank you. I can manage. " She tried to take it back.

"I insist." He moved the bags away from her. She grabbed a part of it, but loses her balance as he moved pulling her sideways.

"Woah!"

He turned quickly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders pressing her against him. "Are you okay? You should be more careful. Let me help you." He said as he looked down.

"Yeah, that scared me. Thanks again, Blaise. This is the third time you saved me..." She faced him as she thanked him. She stopped in mid-sentence as she noticed his stare.

He kept his gaze on her peering into her eyes intensely. She froze, unable to avert her eyes. His strong arms around her made her feel safe. At that moment, all she could see was him. Nothing was around them. They only had each other in their eyes. He leaned closer as he closes his eyes. Their lips inches apart.

A/N: So? You like? If so, feel free to review! If not, still feel free to review! Or follow! Or favorite! Or continue reading! Anything's good! Hope you had a great holiday. (Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrated!)

Once again, One PUUUUNNNCCCCHHHH! (Pretty awesome manga, by the way.)

Thanks again for giving my story a chance! You are the best! You deserve a puppy or kitten. Whatever floats your boat.

Cheers!

-DiagonAlleyorBust


	5. Chapter 5: New Friends

"Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. ;) NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione.**

Chapter 5 New Friends

He kept his gaze on her peering into her eyes intensely. She froze, unable to avert her eyes. His strong arms around her made her feel safe. At that moment, all she could see was him. Nothing was around them. They only had each other in their eyes. He leaned closer as he closes his eyes. Their lips inches apart.

* * *

 _Is he going to kiss me? Does he like me too? This is so sudden._ Hermione panicked but readied herself and closed her eyes waiting for the kiss. She then felt a sudden weight on her shoulder as Blaise placed his forehead on it.

"I was so afraid when I heard you were at the hospital wing." He said with his head down. "I couldn't sleep all night. I was afraid you wouldn't wake even after Madame Pomprey said you were fine. I couldn't help but think the worst. I'm sorry. I'm so glad you are okay." He confided in her.

Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and tried to hide her face. "Y-yeah, sorry for making you worry. Like I said, I'm fine." _Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did I think he was going to kiss me? He doesn't see me like that. I'm only a friend. Don't blow this friendship. I'm so glad he can't see my face right now.._ Hermione reprimanded herself.

He stood straight and squeezed her tight. A smile displayed across his handsome face. "Good. Let's get going then."

Hermione smiled back awkwardly and nodded.

* * *

The news of the ball spread through the school like wildfire. Even though it was still a few months away, people were already planning what to wear and a few students already found dates to it.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had settled themselves at a corner table near a window in the library. Hermione first sat closest to the window as Harry sat next to her and Ron across from him. Harry and Ron had assignments they pushed off until the very last minute which were due for Advanced Charms tomorrow so they were frantically trying to finish their blasted 10 feet long paper.

"How does writing a bloody, stinking paper help with learning Charms!?" Ron complained as he tried to write his words just large enough to be passable.

Harry nodded in agreement. "10 feet long at that!" He tried to write as much adjectives and adverbs to take up the space on his paper.

"If you guys didn't put it off to the last moment, you wouldn't have to complain about it now." Hermione scolded them.

"Come on, 'Mione. Just let me take a peek at yours." Ron pleaded massaging his wrist as it cramped after writing for the past hour.

"No, Ronald. You are just going to copy it word for word and get me in trouble like last time." She refused.

"Stinking Bookworm." He mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" She inquired. She looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Nothing." He corrected and continued writing.

Harry listened amused at his two best friend's interaction.

They continued their work in comfortable silence.

After resting and re-reading the paper he wrote so far, he reached for his quill, but accidentally grabbed Hermione's hand instead.

"Hmm? Did you need something, Harry?" Hermione asked as she looks up from the textbook she was reading.

Confused as of why she asked that, he looked down at his hand and quickly retracted it blushing. "S-Sorry. I was trying to grab my quill."

Hermione giggled and didn't notice Harry's embarrassment.

They carried on with their perspective assignments and reading. Students were coming in and out of the library borrowing books and heading down to the Great Hall for dinner. Harry stumbled upon a question and racked his brain for the answer. Finally giving up, he asked for Hermione's help. She moved her seat closer and leaned in to read the problem. A breeze of Hermione's shampoo wafted into his nose. _She smells of sweet flowers and honey._ He noticed, unknowingly breathed it in, and blushed again at his own actions. Realizing what he was doing, he frowned. _Stop being a creep. Stop it._

At that moment, Ginny stopped by their table. She asked to speak with Harry alone. He set down his quill and paper and followed her out. A few minutes later, he walked back dragging his feet along the carpet deep in thought.

"What did she need?" Ron asked as he continued to write his last feet of words.

"Oh, um.. she asked me to the ball." He said rubbing his hand on his neck feeling awkward saying it in front of his friends.

"That's great! Did you agree?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Ugh. Never mind. I don't care. Don't tell me." As Ron pretended to gag.

"Not yet. I asked for her to give me a few days of time." Ignoring Ron, he answered Hermione's question but felt a sharp pain in his chest. _Why does it hurt me when she is happy for me? I_ _shouldn't be like this. She's happy for me. I should be too._ He thought ignoring the pain.

They didn't push the matter any further so Harry sat down to finish his paper. The three continued their work until the soon to be dinner time.

* * *

Per Dumbledore's order, the next day Hermione was sent to Hagrid's hut to check on the new magical beast visiting for the week. She headed down the trail. Peebles and leaves crunched under her boot with each step she took. Suddenly, she heard screech. She whipped her head towards the noise. "NO!" she gasped to the scene in front of her. At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, she saw the magical creature. The baby occamy had for reasons unknown escaped. It was in a stance as if it was trying to hunt something and was ready to strike. She squinted and saw clearly that the baby occamy had cornered a pair of baby owls to the base of a tree. Hermione quickly sprinted towards the trees as she reached for her wand and conjured a few dead rats in her hand. She had previously researched occamies and found they feed on small rodents and birds. She slowed down and tried to get the beast's attention with the rats in her hand.

...

Walking from the Owlery, Draco just finished writing his monthly letter to his parents. He was on his way back to the castle when a screech caught his attention. He turned to check the source of the sound. _Is that an occamy?_ He thought bewildered. _That crazy big oaf! First hippogriffs, now an occamy? He suddenly saw_ someone run towards it. _Great. An even crazier person. Whatever happens to them is not my concern._ He decided. He took one last glance and shook his head with disapproval.

...

"Hey! Occamyyy." Hermione tried to catch its attention. Hearing and sensing Hermione, the occamy turned to Hermione. Seeing the rats in her right hand, it narrowed its eyes and was ready to strike. She quickly tossed the rats away from the direction of the tree as far as she could. It immediately lunged for the rodents. Seeing the occamy aim for the rats, she darted to the direction of the tree. Unfortunately, it finished the rats in a few mouthfuls and looked around for more. Seeing Hermione run, it narrowed its eyes and glided its way to her. _Almost there. Just a bit more._ She tried to run even faster if it was possible.

"Look out!" Suddenly, someone pushed her aside. She fell to the grass the sudden impact knocking the wind out of her. Her assailant collided with an nearby tree.

"Wha-" she tried to start. But suddenly, the occamy flew by fast at where she was running only a few feet away away from her. It turned getting ready again to target a prey. She lifted her wand hand ready to jinx it, but her wand was missing. She searched around and found it was lying on the ground five feet away. Suddenly, a net was conjured above the magical beast. Catching it by surprise, the net fell in place around it and neatly attached its ends firmly to the ground. The occamy struggled beneath the net screeching in anguish. Hermione finally looked to the person who conjured the net. "Malfoy?"

With his wand in his right hand, he was standing as his left hand clutched tightly onto his upper right arm. His usual jelled back hair now hung in his face. His usual silver eyes now a stormy gray. He glared at her furious. Disheveled and trying to catch his breath, he shouted. "Are you crazy, you stupid Gryffindor? Are you trying to die?!"

She winced at his words. She began to speak. "I-"

"Wha' are yeh' doing to Scales?!" Hagrid's voice rung out. He came running out of his hut. The occamy named "Scales" cried out to him. He took out a small knife and started to cut at the net. Scales rubbed affectionately against his hands. "They scared yeh', didn't they?" He assured.

"We scared it?!" Draco exclaimed in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? It was looking at Granger like she was dinner!" He pointed his finger at Hermione.

"It doesn't eat humans." Hagrid countered. "Sorry about that though, 'ermione. Scales escaped from 'er cage. I think she was 'ungry." Hagrid continued to cut the net open. He took out a collar and leash from his pocket and placed it around Scales' neck. He took Scales and led her towards his hut before Hermione could say anything.

The two watched him leave.

"What?! That's it. One sorry is enough? Someone's life could have been in danger." Draco complained after him, but Hagrid didn't hear him. Then Draco turned his attention towards her. "And you! What in your right mind that caused you run towards a bloody occamy?"

"It was trying to attack these little guys." She said as she walked to the tree and bent to the base of the tree. Placing her hands down with her palms faced up, she tried to lure them out. "Come on, I won't hurt you." She cooed to the little owls. The two owls still frightening tried to push themselves even further back into the tree.

Draco followed her to the tree and looked to the base of the tree. Cowering as far as they could to the base of the tree were two jet back baby owls. Their orange eyes widened with fear. Seeing the frightened owls, he softened his gaze. Since childhood, he's had a soft spot for these birds. They were loyal, wise, and majestic. He found some leftover treats in his pocket from his trip from the Owlery. He broke the treat into little pieces with his free hand and placed one in front of the baby owls. The braver of the two quickly snatched it away from the spot and pecked at it. The other one joined after it determined it was safe. Draco placed another piece and it pecked at it again. He did it a few more times until he was able to draw them out of the hiding place. The braver one hopped onto his hand and hooted for more. "Alright, alright. Hold your horses." Draco chuckled and smirked at the owl.

Hermione watched the whole exchange with a mixture of bewilderment and wonder. It seemed so natural for him with the baby owl. _If he was like that with humans, he would have more friends_. She thought to herself. "It likes you." She told him.

"Yeah. He's a handsome little fellow." He looked at it adoringly. Remembering that he was with Hermione, he quickly changed his smile to a frown. "You risked your life for them?"

"I had it under control." She said confidently.

"If I didn't help, you would have been attacked and bitten." He pointed out.

"Well..um...I.." Hermione tried to counter. "Anyways, thank you." She quickly said and turned her attention to the other owl still trying to peck at the leftover snack. She gingerly wrapped her hands around its trembling body. "It's okay. It's okay." She cooed. It slowly began to accept her and eventually stopped trembling. She scratched its head and it hooted back in appreciation. "Did you see that.." She looked up to Draco with excitement and finally noticed the area he was holding onto. His sleeve was torn apart and he had blood running down through the fingers that held onto the arm and even more rushing down it. . "You're bleeding!" She shouted shocked.

"You know for being the Head Girl, you aren't very bright." Without glancing at her, he said as he set the owl down with a treat for it to eat.

She placed the owl she was holding next to the other. It started to peck at the snack also. She then conjured a first aid kit and walked over to his injured arm. "This was because you pushed me out of the way and you collided with that tree, wasn't it?" She said not expecting an answer back.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ignoring what she had said, he questioned her while eyeing her carefully.

"What do you think? You have to stop the bleeding soon or it will be infected." She said matter-of-factly.

He tried to dodge her, but being faster, she grabbed his injured arm and gasped. He had a huge gash around 8 inches long on his upper arm. She moved past her shock and quickly began to clean his wound, apply antibiotic, and started to cover the wound with rolled up gauze.

Draco watched as she concentrated on his wound. _I guess she isn't bad for a mudblood._ He thought as he continued to observe her. _And she has gotten easy on the eyes recently...Wait. No. What am I thinking?_ He stopped himself and turned his attention to the two baby owls.

"Alright. All done. You will still have to go see Madame Pomprey, of course. Make sure it doesn't leave a scar." She said packing up her supplies. She looked and saw he was watching the owls. "So...what do we do about them?"

"We?"

"Yeah. I think that one has going attached to you." She nodded to the baby owl that was waddling its way over to Draco after finishing the treat with the other owl.

"Are they males? Or females?"

"Males."

"What? How do you tell?"

"I just know." He said confidently. "I guess I'll just take this one." He placed his hand down palm faced up for the little owl to hop on. When it did, he lifted his hand near his face and studied it. "He looks like a 'Blade'." He said to no one in particular. Blade had a white mark on his back in the shape of a sword.

"Sounds good. Then what this one? ...how about Charcoal since he's all black? Do you think you can take him too?" She asked trying to place Charcoal on Draco hand with Blade, but Charcoal didn't want to leave her and held on to her tight.

"I don't think he wants me to."

"I don't know how to raise owls though, but I don't want to leave him alone more." She thought worried. "...But if I do take him, Charcoal and Blade will have to meet up and spend time with each other, right? Do you think you can do that? I don't think we should take away their chances to be together... I might also ask for some pointers." She asked afraid he might refuse.

Draco began to say no, but he looked at the baby owls. He knew he couldn't take their times together since they were family. He ultimately gave in. "Fine, but only once a week."

"Great! I need to go and check on the occamy now." She said as she held onto Charcoal. She lowered her hand near Draco's letting both owls say goodbyes to each other. "See you in a week then." She said and began to start her path to the game keeper's hut.

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her wrist.

She turned and saw Draco look at her conflicted.

"Malfoy?" She asked.

Realizing he had abruptly took a hold of her wrist, he quickly pulled back and cleared his throat. They were standing there silently. Befuddled, Hermione waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"...thank you." He whispered finally.

"Excuse me?" She asked unable to hear what he said.

"Thank you for dressing my wound." He said looking anywhere but her. He felt like he had to thank her not wanting to owe her anything.

"Of course! It's nothing compared to what you did for me." She said simply.

"Look, I didn't save you on purpose. Don't let it go to your head. I couldn't just stand by and watch someone be so utterly stupid to charge at a bloody occamy." He said with a scowl.

From all the years of his insults and mockery she has started to develop a bit of immunity from it, Hermione brushed it aside. "Thank you anyways whether you meant to or not." She peered at Blade on his hand. "Though I never to you as a softie. I guess Blaise was right."

"I'm not." He turned and glowered at her.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." She said as she amusingly watched Blade hooting happily on his hand as if the traumatic experience just moments ago never happened. She lazily waves one hand to bid him farewell behind her as she started again her way up to the gamekeeper's hut.

Draco glared at her as she walks along the path to the hut. _How Blaise can be friends with her. I will never know. So uncivilized and reckless._ He looked down at the bandage that Hermione had done. _...at least she had the decency to treat my wound... Damn._ _I have to go back to that bat again._ He thought to himself as he grimaced at the thought of seeing Madame Pomprey again. He raised his hand to his shoulder waited for Blade to hop on his shoulder. Moving to his new owner's right shoulder, Blade hooted to signal that he was ready. Draco then hiked his way back inside the school.

* * *

Days passed as classes continued and and students still raging about the ball although the excitement levels weren't as high as it was when it was first announced.

Since adopting the baby owl, students have seen Blade on Draco's shoulder or head as he attended classes and walked through the halls. Draco had tried to leave him in the cage, but all his efforts were to no avail. He had to settle with the young owl perching itself on him the whole day. Being the braver and more confident baby owl that he was, Blade would happily hoot and greet to passersby. At first, Draco scowled all day because he had a bird on him all day and people were going up to him to play with Blade despite his scowls and glare at them. After, Draco would just ignore the people around him. No matter what he did, they still walked up to pet or feed the young bird. Because of Blade, students began to perceive Draco with a more approachable demeanor. In reality, he just gave up and didn't speak with them while Blade did all the speaking for him with his friendly greetings and hooting. Like the intelligent bird he was, he kept quiet and knew when not to disturb and disrupt during class which amazed the students more. The teachers also opened up to Blade and gave him treats ever so often. Although he was annoyed with all the unwanted attention, Draco still tended to Blade lovingly and wholeheartedly. His popularity with the female students also rose as they witnessed his occasional bonding time with the adorable black ball of fluff. He would always have a gaggle of girls follow him around in the halls. Nothing he did could shake them off. Thus the ignoring and intense scowling continued.

Charcoal on the other hand was very content in staying in his cage for the day as Hermione went out to classes and duties. She would come back regularly to check on him. If she was busy, Blaise helped pick up the slack. Charcoal took a liking to Blaise and would follow him around every night when Hermione took him out of his cage. Charcoal didn't seem like the same timid owl that she first saw under the tree. He was happier and more confident; although when she did take him out to general population, he would hide under her hair at her neck and peek out from there. Only her close friends knew of Charcoal because he was always hiding under her hair so people never noticed she had an owl on her neck.

* * *

On a sunny Sunday, Draco arrived at the unused side of the Quidditch field as the Hufflepuff team were scheduled to practice that afternoon. The players zoomed around on the flying brooms. Their robes rustled in the wind. Draco watched the team and smirked. _Practice won't do them any good. Slytherins are going to win this year._ Seeing the flying brooms for the first time, Blade was hopping around on his head flapping his wings gaining a few inches in the air and landing back down on his owner's blonde hair. His now persistent female fans were a few meters behind him admiring him from afar giggling and whispering.

"Are you sure this is a good place for them to play?" Hermione said as she walked on to the field catching and feeling the glares from the fan girls. She ignored them and tread on. She and Blaise were walking up to him and the boys nodded to each other as a greeting.

"Is there somewhere else you have in mind?" He raised his eyebrow at her. "Where's Charcoal?"

"Um, near the Black Lake or something?" With her left hand, she moved her hair to one side revealing the dark owl. Charcoal looked out timidly at the new surroundings trying to scurry back to his safe spot, but Hermione used her other hand to grab him gently from her neck. She held him between her hands then Charcoal saw Blaise and tried to hop towards him. Seeing Charcoal struggle in her hands, she motioned for Blaise's hand and he took him from her.

"And risk them get eaten by a random beast from the lake?" Malfoy said with a frown.

"Fine. Whatever you say." Hermione sighed not wanted to argue.

Blade saw Charcoal for the first time in a week and he happily hooted to him. Hearing his brother's hoot, Charcoal looked up and hooted back with excitement. The two Slytherins set the two owls down so the birds continued on with their hooting having a conversation with their own owl language.

Seeing the two Slytherins eyeing the Hufflepuff team jealously, she rolled her eyes. "Go on. I'll watch them."

"It's okay. I'll stay here with you." Blaise said unconvincingly.

"Who said I wanted to join them?" Draco said still eyeing the team's flying.

"You guys aren't fooling anyone. Go ahead. I'll watch them." She insisted shooing them away with her hands.

"...Then we will just be gone a moment." Blaise said as he started towards the Slytherin locker room with his friend next to him.

Smiling, Hermione took out her favorite copy of _Hogwarts: A_ History and a treat for the birds. She began to read while watching the two little owls peck at the snack on the side.

* * *

Coming out of the locker room decorated with the dark green house colors, the two Slytherins made with their way to the field with their brooms. "You ready?" Draco asked his friend smirking. "You know it." Blaise smirked back.

They made their way to the Hufflepuff team and managed to convince them to let them join their practice. They mounted their brooms and shot through the air.

 _Flying is the definitely best._ Smirking, Draco thought as he felt the thrill and excitement he always did zooming through the air.

Draco went against the Hufflepuff Seeker as he flew high and hovered in the air searching the field for the practice snitch. The Seeker did the same a few feet below him. He scanned the field and glanced over at Hermione and the owls. _I bet Blade's having fun. I guess it was a good thing I saved Granger that day._ A smile slowly crept up on his face making him more handsome and natural. Suddenly, the Hufflepuff Seeker zoomed off in a direction to the left of him. He quickly looked and found the snitch shimmer quickly and disappear just as fast. _Found you._ He smirked and veered his broom towards the snitch and darted off.

Blaise joined the Chasers and zoomed back and forth stealing the Quaffle and scoring several times. The beaters aimed the Bludgers at his direction and he dodged them expertly. One rather strong looking beater ultimately used all his might and smashed the Bludger at Blaise after he just scored. Though Blaise saw the Bludger coming the last minute, he dodged out the way. Smiling at his quick reaction, he turned to the beater. "WATCH OUT!" He suddenly heard the beater shout pointing behind him. Blaise turned around and his eyes widen. It was flying towards Hermione and the owls. Blaise quickly zoomed towards her trying to will his broom to go faster than it already was.

...

"WATCH OUT!" Draco heard someone shout and saw one of the beaters shout towards the direction of Hermione, Blade and Charcoal. Without hesitation, he zoomed towards the area of where they were.

...

"WATCH OUT!" Hermione heard someone shout. She looked up from her book and saw a dark object speeding towards her and the owls. Her first instinct was to toss her book aside and throw her body over the two owls shielding them. She braced for impact knowing it was going to hurt she closed her eyes hoping for it to be over soon. She then felt a rush of air and heard a 'twack' of a broom.

The boys had both arrived the same time before the Bludger could do any damage to her and the owls. As if able to read each other's minds, they worked in sync and stopped it. Blaise promptly placed himself in front of Hermione sheltering her while Draco swung the head of his broom to hit the Bludger off its course and back the way it came from. Dismounting their brooms, they turned to Hermione who was still kneeling and covering the owls.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Catching his breath, Blaise asked hoping she was fine.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU MOVE, STUPID GIRL?!" Also out of breath, Draco shouted at her.

* * *

 **A/N: And thus another chapter! This one is a bit longer than the others. No kiss yet. Sorry! That's for later. What do you guys think? Are the chapter long enough? Too long? or Just right? Please feel free to review! Or Follow! Or Favorite! Or most of all continue reading! Thank you again! This chapter will be the last one of 2016! There will be more drama coming 2017. Stay tuned!**

 **Again, ONE PUNNNNCCCHHH! (I'm hoping someone knows what I'm talking about.)**

 **Last but not least, Happy New Year!**

 **Cheers!**

 **-DiagonAlleyorBust**


	6. Chapter 6: Friends and Feelings

**Hi there, wonderful people. DiagonAlleyorBust here.**

 **Thank you for continuing my story, but FIRST, A SHOUTOUT! To the people so far who followed, reviewed, and favorited my very first story. Thank you! You guys are awesome. I know it might not be a lot of people nor mean anything to you, but I was very happy every time someone followed, reviewed, or favorited. It means a lot to me.**

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 **ALSO THANK YOU to you silent readers! I'm glad I have an audience to share my thoughts and ideas to.**

 **Sorry that was long, NOW ONWARD to the story!**

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K. Rowling except the plot.

 **Summary: Hermione Granger and her friends are back to Hogwarts for their last year. What happens when she is back and guys start to notice her more? In a good way. NOT Ron/Hermione. Draco/Hermione, Harry/Hermione, Blaise/Hermion** **e**

Chapter 6: Friends and Feelings

The boys had both arrived the same time before the Bludger could do any damage to her and the owls. As if able to read each other's minds, they worked in sync and stopped it. Blaise promptly placed himself in front of Hermione sheltering her while Draco swung the head of his broom to hit the Bludger off its course and back the way it came from. Dismounting their brooms, they turned to Hermione who was still kneeling and covering the owls.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Catching his breath, Blaise asked hoping she was fine.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU MOVE, STUPID GIRL?!" Also out of breath, Draco shouted at her.

* * *

Hermione slowly lifted her head and saw one worried Blaise and one livid Draco.

"Y-yes, I'm fine." She started to answer. "All I could think of were the owls at that instant. Next thing I knew I was on top of them." She said to them. "At least they are safe. Thank you both." She lifted herself to reveal the two confused but irritated owls. They were mad that they were suddenly confined under the human girl and were unable to move. Because of this, they nipped at Hermione's arms breaking skin so she was bleeding a bit.

"We were worried about our friend. No need to be so courteous." Blaise smiled, relieved that she was safe.

"Who said I was worried about her? And whoever said I was friends with her? This reckless, stubborn goody two-shoes girl?" Draco countered and pointed at an amused Hermione. "What are you smiling for? I was just worried about Blade." He said stubbornly as he bent down and picked up Blade making sure not to look at her. He turned away from the other two checking out Blade for any injuries. Draco furrowed his eyebrows. _Why did I do that? My body moved on its own. All I could think of at that time was to protect that dumb Gryffindor girl... Oh no. I AM getting soft.. and it's all because of you!_ He thought and glared at Blade. Blade ignoring his owner's bad vibe just hooted back happily at Draco's angry face.

"Don't mind him, Hermione. He just has a hard time accepting with his feelings. That's why I'm his only friend." Blaise joked.

"Blaise..." Draco warned still turned away from them glaring daggers at Blade who was happily hooting away.

"I already knew that." Hermione laughed. "This is the second time he's saved me, so I know he's not a bad person." She bent down to pick up Charcoal and made sure he was fine. After confirming that he was fine, she set him down on the grass to play around in.

Blaise closed his mouth after he heard Draco's warning; he then continued to give Hermione an once over to check if she was fine also. "You're bleeding, Hermione!" He exclaimed when he saw the bite marks on her arm.

Hearing Blaise's worried tone, Draco whipped his head around to see how serious her bleeding was. He rolled his eyes at Blaise's overreaction. _It's only a few bite marks.. Blaise made it sound like she was bleeding profusely._ _...but why did I turn around? I don't care. She's not my friend._ He thought befuddled.

"I'm fine Blaise, really. It's nothing compared to your wound in the Summer." She assured him as she smiled at him. Blaise smiled back a knowing grin. They shared a moment where only they understood what she meant.

"Let me just treat it then."

"Alright, Mr. Worrywart."

"Worry-what?" Blaise asked confused.

"Nevermind. It's a muggle expression." She laughed shaking her head.

Blaise chuckled along as Hermione conjured up her first aid kit and let him treat her bite marks. Thinking that no one was looking, she looked at Blaise as he concentrated on the wound with a kind warm smile she's grown accustomed to. She blushed at thought of him being so caring to her.

Draco saw this scene unfold in front him and furrowed his brows together again. _Blaise won't give you the time of day, Granger. He already has someone. Don't think that he will even think of you that way._ He scowled and started to head to the locker room with Blade now on his shoulder.

Hermione looked away from Blaise so he wouldn't see her flushed face. Noticing Draco walk away, Hermione shouted out to him. "See you later, friend!"

"Not your friend!" He said not looking back.

"Sure!" She laughed.

* * *

A few days later after dinner, Blaise, Draco and Hermione were at the Head dorm. They were in the living room doing their own things. Draco stopped by because Blade wanted to see his brother. Draco and Blade started to have a special bond where Draco could easily understand how he felt and what he wanted. The blonde Slytherin was watching Blade and Charcoal hopping around and hooting with each other excitedly on the long couch in the middle of the room facing the fireplace. Hermione was in one of the two work desks in the corner of the living room trying to finish one of her assignments due two weeks from now. Blaise was on the single couch left to the long couch Draco was on skimming through the latest edition of Quidditch Quarterly. All the sudden, there was a knock on the door. Seeing as Blaise was the closest, he placed his magazine aside and answered it.

"Hi Blaise." Harry stood at the door looking in. "Is Hermione in?"

"Harry, Hi. Yes, let me go get her." Blaise turned his head and called for her. "Hermione, your friend is here!"

She stopped her work and walked to door. "Who is it?" She asked as she got closer. "Oh. Harry! Hi." She smiled when she saw her best friend.

"Hermione." Harry smiled back and leaned down and pick up an large orange cat with a smashed in face. "Guess who I found." When they first arrived to the school, Crookshanks went off on his own to explore. Being there for years, he knew where the best hunting and napping places were. He usually goes back to the Gryffindor dorm when he wanted to. He had just wandered to the Gryffindor tower and was looking for Hermione when suddenly Harry had picked him up. The next thing Crookshanks knew was that he was taken to a different part of the school that he was unfamiliar with.

"Crookshanks! Where have you been?! I've been looking all over for you." She picked up her beloved cat from Harry's arms and snuggled her face into his fur. She lifted him up to face her. "I have a surprise for you. You have a new brother." Crookshanks meowed lazily back to her. She smiled and placed him down in the dorm. "Thanks for bring him in Harry. Why don't you come on in?" She said grabbing his arm giving him no room to say 'no'. Eyeing their linked hands, Blaise shut the door he was holding ajar after Harry entered and walked back to his couch. She dragged Harry to the couch Draco was sitting on and made him sit next to him. "Wait here. Let me get some water for Crookshanks. He must be thirsty."

"Um. I'll help." Harry said trying to take any chance to move from the couch. He moved to stand.

"It's okay. I got it." She said pushing him back down on the couch and headed to the kitchen. She picked up Crookshanks as he was about to wander into her room and set him down on the kitchen floor. She opened one of the cabinets, pulled out a bowl out, and poured some milk in it.

"No!" Apparently, Crookshanks was very thirsty and grabbed the bowl before she could set it down on the floor for him spilling the milk on the floor and mostly on his owner. He started to drink the milk that spilled on the floor as she shook her head and laughed at him. She poured him another bowl and set it down carefully. Crookshanks noticed the new bowl and walked to it and started to drink from it. "Be a good boy now. I'm going to go change out of these clothes."

"You okay in here?" Blaise stuck his head in after hearing her shout. Harry was standing not far behind him looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Crookshanks just spilled some milk on me. I'm okay though. I'm going to go change." She pointed at her clothes. Clinging to her skin, her blouse was soaked through by the milk and became see-through. Both boys looked down embarrassed with their cheeks tinted red.

"Y-yeah. Y-you should change immediately." Blaise choked out. Harry nodded furiously.

Hermione went to her room and chose a size too big but comfortable Gyffindor sweatshirt and jogging pants. She went out to the living room and saw that Crookshanks finished his milk and wandered to the living room curious about the new familiars in the room. Sitting on the couches, Harry, Blaise and Draco were finally talking civilized with each other. The topic being no other than Quidditch.

 _How do they have so much to talk about with Quidditch? I'll never understand what's so great about broomsticks and flying._ Hermione shook her head smiling. She stepped towards the pets that were playing near the couches. More like, the owls were playing with Crookshanks and he just let them as he lounged near the Draco's feet. She kneeled down and started to let Crookshanks's favorite spot. He purred in appreciation. The baby owls excited to see another animal that wasn't trying to eat them hopped all around the lazy orange cat.

"That's so adorable. Isn't it?" She said to no one in particular.

The boys that were discussing the pros and cons between the newest edition firebolt and the old one heard her question and finally noticed that Hermione was kneeling at base of the couches. They suddenly stopped in mid conversation and looked at the pets and Hermione. She looked up and around confused why they weren't talking anymore. "Is there something wrong? Why did you guys stop?"

Blaise and Harry were avoiding her eyes and a hoodie was thrown at her from the Slytherin boy in front of her. "Put this on." He commanded her looking away.

"What. I'm not cold though." She said confused.

"It's better if you put it on, 'Mione." Harry agreed with Draco, his hand over his face covering his blush.

"Yes, Hermione. It's best if you do." Blaise also agreed, suddenly the words on his Quidditch magazine was very interesting.

She stared at them confused slowing putting on the hoodie that was thrown at her. _Boys are so weird. And they say girls are complicated. "Wait. T_ his is a Slytherin-...": Seeing the Slytherin crest on the front, Hermione frowned as she readied to take it off.

"Don't." Draco leaned over and glared at her as his hand held on to the hand that Hermione was about to lift up.

"What-? I'm not even cold." She huffed trying to lift her hand again, but struggled under his grasp. He didn't answer nor move. "Alright. Fine. I'll leave it on." Exasperated, she gave in.

Draco quickly drew back his hand when he realized he had unconsciously stopped her. _How can she let her guard down so easily? There are three guys in the room with her. What good is her brain for? Like I said: Reckless._ Draco stole one last glance of her in the Slytherin hoodie before turning away.

 _Why did she choose that shirt?_ Blaise thought still looking at the same word on his magazine he had been looking since a minute ago. _She looks good in that though._ He inwardly smirked to himself as she finally left the hoodie on.

 _That shirt is way too big. ...I thought I was going to be fine when she changed from her wet shirt. This made it worse. I could see down her shirt. Seems like we all did..._ Harry thought to himself trying to not make his face from getting any redder.

"Right. So I was thinking we should to go Hogsmeade this weekend." Hermione said after straightening herself tugging at the collar.

"I'm free on Saturday. You want to go after breakfast?" Thinking that Hermione was just asking him, Harry said composing himself. His heart skipped a little thinking that he and Hermione would go to Hogsmeade together alone.

Hermione nodded approvingly. "How about you guys? Are you free then? You don't have classes that day, and Blaise told me that you have practice after dinner that day." She asked looking at the two Slytherins expectedly. Harry's stomach dropped when she asked.

"You sure you want us to go too?" Blaise asked uncertain sensing the Gryffindor boy's disappointment.

"Yeah! I thought that you guys hit it off with Harry so I thought it would be good if we went out and hung out more together. Get to know each other better!" Hermione answered back hoping her friends will be able to get along.

"I have no excuse so I'll tag along for a little bit." After trying to think of various excuses, Blaise gave up and agreed. Hermione cheered.

"I planning to buy owl supplies during that time." Draco said simply refusing the invitation. He would rather go along than to be seen with a group of Gryffindors.

"Where?" Hermione asked curious.

"Madame Layfette's Pet Store."

"That's that new pet shop in Hogsmeade. We should go together." Hermione said happily. In next twenty minutes, Draco had tried to come up with excuses where she can't go with them. He tried to insult her, but Hermione kept refuting back. Eventually, Draco was worn down, gave up, and grudgingly agreed. In that instant, Crookshanks decided to roam and explore this new room with both baby owls perched on his back. Apaparently, he had assumed the role of big brother of the two little ones.

* * *

Rushing in to her room, Hermione quickly grabbed her overcoat from her wardrobe. "Be good now. I've set treats and water aside for all of you. I'll be back soon. Someone will stop by with your lunch." She said to the three pets idling in the living room. They looked up at her and hooted and meowed back confirmations. Moments earlier, Draco dropped by to leave Blade with the other two and left with Blaise to wait at the front entrance for everyone. She shut the door behind her and headed down the hall hastily putting on her overcoat.

...

"I'm..Here!..Sorry..Sorry everyone!" She huffed trying to catch her breath because she ran when she saw that Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Blaise and Draco were all standing at the entrance waiting on her. The two Slytherins standing a bit further away from the Gryffindors.

"Finally! We are freezing here!" Ron complained.

Harry smiled at her. "Ron, she probably had something she had to do in the last minute. Well, let's go then." Ron, Ginny, and Neville headed down first and the rest behind them. With Harry on her right and the two Slytherins on her left, Hermione followed them out. Snow crushed with every step they took. Excited voices of other students could be heard as they also headed to Hogsmeade. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew causing Hermione to hug her overcoat tight. _Oh no. I forgot my scarf and mittens when I was in a rush!_ She then rubbed her cold hands together and blew onto them to keep warm.

All at once, Blaise grabbed her left hand and stuck it in his coat pocket. Shocked more than anything, Hermione looked at him and he looked gently back. _This...this feels right to me. Her hand feels right in mine._ Blaise thought to himself.

"This should be better." He said to her as they continued to walk rendering Hermione speechless. She blushed intensely and looked away not wanting him to see her redden face.

 _Look at her. Blushing and all. You are not the only one he does that to. He's like that with all girls. You aren't special. Don't think that you are._ Draco thought irritably. He took one last glance at Hermione's obvious blushing face and looked towards the group in the front.

Frowning and jealousy taking over, Harry quickly took off his gloves and grabbed Hermione's free hand. "Wear these Hermione. BOTH your hands will be warm instead." He said emphasizing the word "both" purposefully.

"Thank you Harry." Hermione said taking the gloves. "What about your hands?" She said worriedly.

"I'll be fine." He said as his frown changed to a smile hearing her concern.

She moved to pull her hand out of Blaise grasp eager to have a reason to release her hand. She was afraid her heart wouldn't be able to take it anymore if she were to hold his hand any longer. She felt Blaise tighten his grip for a quick second and just as fast, he let go.

 _It felt as if he didn't want to let go...no...I'm thinking too much._ She thought perplexed. She pulled Harry's gloves on her hands as she felt them slowly defrosting.

Blaise wanted to hold to that hand as long as he could. He thought to hold on and never let go but thought it would be best not to. He couldn't risk ruining the friendship he had with her. So he reluctantly let go of the small warm hand.

They continued their way to Hogsmeade in simple conversation. They were walking along the street and approached Gladrags Wizardwear's shop's window. Ginny saw the beautiful dresses the shop had displayed in the window. "Hermione! Look! Aren't these gorgeous?"

Hermione nodded though her eyes were drawn to two simple silver necklaces with a beautifully done handcrafted owl pendant on both. One had a black and white owl pendent as the other had a black owl pendant on it. Draco and Blaise both noticed how she stared at the necklaces for a moment and turned her attention back to Ginny. "Are you going to buy any?" She asked her red headed friend.

"I am thinking of buying one. You should too!" Ginny said excitedly to Hermione.

"I was just planning on wearing what I wore at the Yule ball." She said to Ginny. "I'm going to be so busy organizing the ball already, so I don't have time for that kind of stuff."

"What? No way. Yes, that dress was nice. But this is a one of your very last balls at Hogwarts. At least think about it." Ginny said ultimately not wanting to pressure her more.

"Alright, alright. I'll think about it. No promises." Hermione laughed at her friend's seriousness about something as silly as a ball.

They continued their way down the street and arrived at The Three Broomsticks. Harry went in to find a table as the others waited outside. Hermione noticed that Blaise's friend wasn't next to him. "Where is Malfoy?" She asked him looking behind him.

"He said he needed to quickly buy something for his mom. He will join us when he's done." Blaise told her. Harry signaled the gang to come inside when their table was ready. The group huddled in. It was packed with barely any room for them to squeeze to their table. Almost everyone that could go to Hogsmeades were there. They took their seats at the table and ordered a round of Butterbeer. Draco joined them shortly after the server brought their drinks to the table. The Slytherins started to open up to the group, more Blaise than Draco. They were able to put past their House differences and converse and joke like friends.

"Oh blimey, it's getting late. We have to stop by Honeydukes Sweetshop before they close. Hermione, you want to come?" Ron asked standing up and putting on his coat. The other Gryffindors stood up and were getting ready as well.

Hermione being the daughter of two muggle dentists knew how bad candy was for the teeth so she didn't really love it like how other people did. "No, I'm going to finish this Butterbeer and head back soon." She refused.

"Then see you back at school." Ron said placing his portion of the bill on the table. The others did as well, bid their goodbyes, and left the pub.

* * *

"Harry, can I speak with you alone?" Ginny asked pulling Harry aside as they entered the candy store.

"Yeah." He said. They walked to a quiet corner of the store.

"Have you thought about it?" She asked suddenly feeling nervous.

"Yes." Harry thought understanding that she was talking about the dance.

"So?"

"..Look, Ginny. You are a nice girl and all, but-." He started as he nervously ran his hand through his hair.

"You like someone? Does she know?" Ginny interrupted.

"What? No.." He denied and suddenly thought of Hermione. _What? Hermione? I don't like her. She's just my best friend._ He shook his head to rid of the thought. _"_ Ginny, I just don't want to keep your hopes up." He said as he held the both sides of her arms.

"We will go as friends then, okay? Harry please." She said unwavering as she pushed his hands away.

"Ginny.."

"That's that then." With a strained smile, Ginny walked away.

Harry was left standing there feeling guilty about what just happened.

* * *

A while later after the former group left, the remaining three finished their drinks and paid the bill. They stepped out of the warm pub and back to the winter cold outside.

"We haven't gone to the pet store yet. Let's go quickly!" Hermione said to the two. They made their way to the new shop and were looking for the items they needed for the two baby owls.

"Sorry, you guys. I have to head back first. Headmaster told me this morning he wanted to speak to me before dinner started." Blaise apologized to his two friends.

"See you back at the dorm then." Hermione said holding to a few items she thought were good for the owls.

"You are leaving me with her?" Draco asked. "I'm going too." He said getting ready to drop the stuff he was holding and leave.

"Finish looking for stuff for Blade and Charcoal and walk back together. The sun is setting and it's getting dark soon." Blaise told Draco and left before Draco could do or say anything.

Begrudgingly, Draco continued to shop around for more. They eventually purchased a box full of items for the owls and a toy for Crookshanks that were arranged to be sent to their respective rooms back at the castle. They exited the shop and started their way back to the school. It was getting darker and colder. Harry's gloves were helping as Hermione slipped her hands in her pocket. But another gust of wind blew and Hermione shivered while pulling her over coat tighter.

Draco saw that Hermione was shivering a lot. He sighed inwardly. _Can't even look after yourself properly. How do you expect to look after two familiars?_ He automatically took off his over coat revealing a warm sweater underneath. He placed his coat around her shoulders. The coat on her made her look small.

She turned to look at him surprised. He froze equally surprised at his own action and slowly drew his hands back to his side. The sun was starting to set behind Hermione as they just continued to gazing at each other. The sun behind her maked her glow radiantly in his eyes and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He quickly looked away not wanting to know what he was starting to feel towards this girl. "I saw you were shivering, so..." he said awkwardly then started to walk again towards the school leaving her behind.

Hermione stood at the spot trying to comprehend what happened. Then she hurried behind him. "Oh! You finally considering me as a friend!" She exclaimed as she marched on matching her pace with his. "Thank you, Malfoy! Are you sure though? Is that sweater enough for you?" She asked.

"Just leave it." He said looking forward ignoring her friend comment.

They arrived at the Great Hall just in time for dinner. Hermione joined her friends at the Gryffindor table while Draco took his seat at the Slytherin table. Blaise arrived a bit later.

"Hey mate. Sorry for leaving so abruptly." Blaise said as he sat next to his friend.

"Mmm hmm." Draco said simply, deep in thought about what happened and how his heart reacted.

"Where's your coat?" Blaise noticed.

"Hmm?..oh..Granger has it."

"What? You gave her your coat? I've never seen or heard of you giving your coat to a female before other than your mom." Blaise thought incredulously as he peered at his friend shocked.

"She looked cold." He answered bluntly.

Before Blaise could say anymore, Dumbledore stood up for another boring announcement. When he finished his announcement, the bountiful food appeared and everyone started to dig in. Draco was still deep in thought and stabbed his food. He aggressively ate his food surprising the other purebloods at the table as he was well known for his table-side manners. They don't say anything when he glared at them. He occasionally peeked over at the Gryffindor table and see the girl still with his coat on chatting happily with her friends. Seeing her wear his clothes, he slowed his savage food stabbing only to continue again when he thought back irritated about what happened. Blaise contemplated but ultimately decided against asking to risk being harmed and left Draco alone.

* * *

Before heading back to the school, Blaise walked past Gladrags Wizardwear. He paused and turned back to see where the necklaces that Hermione were admiring. The display still had one left, the one with the black owl pendant. He entered the store and asked to purchase it.

"You are the second person today purchasing this necklace." The shop owner commented nodding approvingly.

"Well good thing I came by before this one was gone." He said handing the appropriate amount of money in the shop owner's hand. She took out a small blue velvet box and carefully placed the necklace in then handed the box to Blaise. He took the box and slipped it in his inner coat pocket. Smiling widely, he stepped out of the shop and continued his way to Dumbledore's office.

* * *

Hermione arrived back to her dorm exhausted. Back in her room, she took off Harry's glove and neatly placed it on her desk. She then took off Draco's coat smiling.

 _He accepted me as a friend._ She thought unusually happy. Finally, her own overcoat was taken off and hung in her wardrobe. She took a long warm bath and sat at her desk with her coursework out. An hour into her coursework, she heard the front door close shut. _Blaise must be back from practice._ She thought as she continued her paper. She then heard a knock on her door.

"Hermione? Do you have a minute?" Blaise asked behind the door.

She crossed her room and opened the door. "Yeah. Did you need something?"

Blaise uncharacteristicly released a breath he didn't know he was holding, pulled out the blue velvet box, and held it in front of her.

"Blaise? What? This.. is... so sudden." Not knowing what to think, Hermione said. She slowly reached up and took the box. She opened it and gasped. "How did you-?"

"I saw you admiring it this morning so I thought I'd buy it for you." He said nervously.

"I can't...It's too much." She began to refused and motioned to hand it back.

"Please. I insist. A token of our friendship. " He said smiling to her now.

"Thank you. I love it." She said as she held on to it and hugged him.

Blaise welcomed the hug wholeheartedly. He held her tight and didn't want to let go. When they separated, he felt cold from where she was like his warmth was taken away as Hermione drew back grinning.

* * *

Classes resumed. Hermione returned the items she borrowed that day back to their owners. Draco decided to ignore what happened that day and unwillingly accepted Hermione as his friend due to her incessant questioning and prodding. He regularly hung out at the Head dorm because Blade loved being with his brother and Crookshanks. Because of that, Draco was forced to interact with Hermione more. He began to believe she wasn't too bad, but he wasn't going to tell her that any time soon.

One day after class being the filial son he was, Draco and Blade headed to the Owlery to send his regular letter to his parents, but someone was already there before him. Even with her back turned towards him, he immediately could recognized it was Hermione.

Not hearing anyone arrive, she shared the treats she brought to the owls. Hermione petted the school owls whenever they landed near her. Charcoal perched on her shoulder bravely greeting his seniors. Unbeknownst to himself, Draco watched her with a soft expression. Hesitantly, he reached into his pocket and felt the object he was looking for. _This should be a good chance to give it to her._ He thought to himself as he felt himself getting nervous for some reason. "Granger-" he started.

Hermione turned around hearing someone call her and finally saw Draco. "Malfoy! What a pleasure! I thought the owls would like some treats we bought last weekend." She said smiling warmly. Draco motioned to draw out the object from his pocket, but stopped. He paused and saw the shimmer of the black owl pendant hanging from the necklace resting on her neck. Cursing inwardly to himself, he drew his hand back down and pushed the small blue velvet box back deeper into his pocket.

* * *

 **A/N: And there you go, guys! Did you like it? Not like it? Could be better?** **Longest chapter yet.**

 **Happy New Year! Please review if you can. I would love to hear your critiques if you have any! Or just say Hi. Don't be shy. Or just continue reading. That's good too! :)**

 **My 2017 New Year's resolution: No Soft Drinks. Hopefully it sticks. I'm too addicted to that stuff. Haha**

 **Once again, ONNEEE PUUNNNCCCCHHH. (One day, someone will hopefully get this.)**

 **Cheers, my friends!**

 **-DiagonAlleyorBust**


	7. Chapter 7: Transfer Student

"Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Chapter 7: Transfer Student

 _This should be a good chance to give it to her._ He thought to himself as he felt himself getting nervous for some reason. "Granger-" he started.

Hermione turned around hearing someone call her and finally saw Draco. "Malfoy! What a pleasure! I thought the owls would like some treats we bought last weekend." She said smiling warmly. Draco motioned to draw out the object from his pocket, but stopped. He paused and saw the shimmer of the black owl pendant hanging from the necklace resting on her neck. Cursing inwardly to himself, he drew his hand back down and pushed the small blue velvet box back deeper into his pocket.

* * *

"Are you done? I need to send a letter." He asked bitterly. The birds ignored him and kept frolicking around Hermione.

"Yes, that's the last of it." She said as she fed the remaining treats in her hands to the owls. She took out one last treat and broke it in half feeding Charcoal one and started to walk over to Malfoy. "Here you go." She said smiling as she reached up and fed Blade who was on Draco's shoulder. She leveled herself and smiled to Blade affectionately. Despite feeling sour, his heart skipped at her smile then quickly frowned at his heart's reaction.

"I'll be heading back now. See you later, Malfoy." She said as she left the Owlery.

Feeling conflicted, he didn't answer and just walked to his usual owl and tied a letter to its leg. Giving it a pat, the owl spread its wings and took off. Draco then headed off to his room down at the dungeons despite Blade's incessant hooting and nudging to see his brother.

After muttering the password at the entrance, he entered the Slytherin dorm and stormed off to his room. Fortunately, his dorm mates were not in the room and somewhere off in the castle doing who knows what. Angrily, he grabbed the velvet box from his pocket and lunged it at the wall.

 _What was I thinking? Why did I even buy this? I went into the store to buy mum a scarf for Christmas but..._

 _Argh. What's wrong with me?_ He ran his hands through his hair frustrated causing his usual neat hair to cascade over his eyes.

 _It's not like it means anything. I just saw her pitifully looking at it. So I thought I would might as well buy it before she cried or something..._

He stopped himself and frowned deeper..

 _...so what? Who cares if she cries? It's not any of my business._ He thought with turmoil.

He turned to his window, peered out, and groaned. After a moment, he walked to the box where it landed after he had thrown it at the wall. Draco picked up the opened box and the necklace that lay a few inches away away. With the necklace in his right hand, he glanced at it slowly, closed his fingers over it and clenched his fist tight. He then placed it back in the box and threw it in his beside table drawer. Plopping himself on his bed, he brought his fists to his face and groaned loudly.

* * *

Another week of classes rolled by, the Heads and Draco were talking a walk near the Black Lake with the familiars. They had been in the Head dorm for a while, so Hermione thought it was a good idea to take a stroll especially for the animals. Despite Draco's protests, the other two won over him and he begrudgingly followed.

After walking around for a while, they stopped at a nearby tree to rest. Reaching into the bag she brought with her, Hermione brought out some snacks for the familiars. She bent down and handed one to Crookshanks who took it happily. Blade was perched on Draco's head so she had to tiptoe in front of Draco to hand it to Blade. A gust of wind suddenly blows and several leaves fall from the branches above them. Her scent slowly wafted to Draco as he took it in surprised.

 _She smells pleasant_. He noted to himself.

She then lowered her feet and worked her way towards Blaise.

Charcoal chose to use his shoulder instead of Hermione's since he could see a different view from the height difference. She spread her hand in front of Charcoal and he nipped at the snack. After figuring out what it was, he then snatched the remainder. Seeing the Charcoal's exchange with the treat, she smiled then looked at Blaise who grinned back at her sweetly. He then noticed a small leaf stuck on her hair above her ear. He slowly reached forward towards her face.

Hermione surprised by his sudden movement froze in place as her face started to heat up. Blaise reached closer and slowly removed the small leaf. He pulled it back to show her as he intently gazed into her eyes. "This was in your hair." He said slowly as they kept their gaze on each other.

Seeing the intensity in his eyes, Hermione's heart quickened. "T-thank you."

Draco obviously disgusted by the exchange in front of him cleared his threat. "Can we go back now? Are we finished?"

Hermione snapping out of her daze looked away flushed. "Yes. We should head back then."

Blaise clearly enjoyed what just happened smirked as he continued to watch Hermione's reaction.

She blushed. Does this mean I have a chance? He thought grinning.

"Blaise!" A Slytherin Prefect came running down towards them looking for Blaise. "We need your help. Come quickly!"

"What's wrong? I'll come too." Hermione said worried.

"No, it doesn't concern you. We just need Zabini." The Slytherin Prefect said to her coldly.

"Sorry, let me deal with this. I will see you guys back at the dorm." Blaise said not wanting to make a huge deal and hurting Hermione. After he slowly moved Charcoal from his shoulder and Hermione shoulder, he followed the Slytherin back to the castle quickly.

Hermione turned to Draco and said disappointedly, "Let's head back then." She headed back up the path to the castle. Her mind drifted back to what happened as a result she slowly unconsciously smiled. She moved her fingers to touch where Blaise had been and her smile widen.

Draco silently followed behind her as Crookshanks walked in between them. He studied her face and saw how her face slowly lit up happily. Knowing she was thinking about what happened with her and Blaise, he growled in repulsion. Not wanting to see her nauseous smiling face, he quickly marched forward matching her pace.

In an instant, he grabbed her wrist stopping her abruptly. "Malfoy. What-"

"Wipe that smile off your face. You have no future with him." He spat at her wringing her wrist back a little more than he intended.

"Malfoy. What are you talking about? Let go." She struggled to pull out of his grasp unable to comprehend what came over him.

"He has someone already. You have no chance." He continued holding her wrist tighter as she struggled.

"LET GO!" She raised her voice and finally pulled her arm out of his grasp as he loosened his grip. Hearing her raised voice, he stopped what he was doing.

 _What did I do that for? What's gotten into me_? He looked down at the Head girl and grimaced as she was massaging her wrist to soothe her pain. Draco quickly covered his grimace and made his face stoic before she looked up.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked him as she continued to tend to her wrist. "What were you talking about?" Thinking about what Malfoy said, she put the pieces together. "...Blaise? There is nothing between us. We are just friends. Don't worry. I know I shouldn't." She said smiling sadly.

Draco said nothing, turned, and continued his way back to the castle. Frustrated and annoyed at his own actions, he marched rapidly to the castle leaving Hermione behind.

* * *

Dinner came around and everyone settled into the Great Hall. Dumbledore stood for his usual announcement, but today he said he had something special to tell everyone. "I know we are almost halfway through with this year, but we will be having a new transfer student. She has been homeschooled up until now, but she wants to experience school life. She is going to join the 7th years this year and was recently sorted privately into Ravenclaw. So let's ask her in and make her feel welcomed." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes.

At that signal, the giant doors of the Great Hall slowly opened and an elegantly poised and gorgeous girl with shoulder length dirty blonde hair walked in. Gasps could be heard throughout the room as eyes followed her down to the teacher's table. She turned and introduced herself with a kind smile.

"Hello. My name is Scarlet Knightly. This is my first time at a school. I hope I can be friends with everyone. Thank you." She said concise and dignified. Skimming her bright blue eyes around, she located the Ravenclaw table and calmly headed to the table and took a seat with the other 7th years.

...

"Scarlet Knightly? The Scarlet Knightly?"

"..the Knightly family? The old pureblood family?"

"I thought they died out..."

Whispers could be heard throughout the room. Dumbledore's voice boomed intended to stop the children's gossiping. "Everyone, please enjoy your dinner." Food ranging from pumpkin juice, Yorkshire pudding, Shepard's pie, and way more delicious mouthwatering food magically appeared before everyone. The students placed aside their gossip and their main focus at that moment was the bountiful amount of food in front of them. Indistinguishable chatter resumed and filled the hall about various topics as students filled their plates to fill their stomachs.

Hermione was enjoying her dinner with her friends when a third year walked up to her and told her Dumbledore wanted the Heads to show the transfer student around after dinner. After the plates and food magically disappeared, Hermione made her way to the teacher's table where Dumbledore was talking with the transfer student. As she walked near, she noticed how stunning the new student looked even closer. Dumbledore stopped and noticed Hermione approaching. Blaise arrived shortly after she did.

"Ah, here is the Head Girl, Hermione Granger." Dumbledore introduced the two. "And I believe you know Mr. Zabini here." Scarlet elegantly nodded and smiled as acknowledgment which Hermione returned. She then turned to Blaise and held out her hand which he took and kissed on her knuckles.

 _Must be a pureblood tradition_. Hermione thought as she noticed the exchange.

Dumbledore told the two Heads to show Scarlet to the Ravenclaw tower together and with that, the headmaster left them alone.

"Well, let's go then." Blaise said as he turned and walked out of the Great Hall with the two girls following him. Hermione and Scarlet were able to have a basic conversation as they headed their way to the tower. Hermione found out that Scarlet was homeschooled ever since little, didn't grow up around a lot of children, and her family is one of the oldest and most respected pureblood family of all. Even though, she is a pureblood of high status, she does not have any negative beliefs on different blood types as normal purebloods do. Hermione thought she was an incredible girl.

"So how do you know Blaise?" Hermione asked casually remembering how Dumbledore had introduced them.

"Blaise and I grew up together. He and Draco Malfoy would come together and accompany me at my family's estate when our parents get together. We've known each other for a long time." She said with a kind smile.

"It's nice to have people your age to hang around with." Hermione commented and nodded.

"Yes, that is why I am so grateful that he is my bethrothed and not someone I do not know." Scarlet finally said as she looked at Blaise lovingly who was walking in front of them.

* * *

At the word "Betrothed", Hermione felt a rush of dread and panic.

 _Betrothed? He's engaged_? She thought back to Malfoy's words a few _hours ago. Was this is what he meant?_

She glanced at Blaise's stoic face _. He didn't mention it at all... he didn't have a reason to. It's not like we have anything going on.._

She quickly covered up her emotions, smiled and continued to walk along side the newly placed Ravenclaw.

...

Hearing what Scarlet said last, Blaise froze and turned around. "Scarlet, don't go off telling that to everyone." He said as he quickly peered over to Hermione. She looked unfazed by the news, but even smiled.

 _It was foolish of me to think she would be affected by it in anyway_. He thought as he turned again to continue his way up.

"It's the truth. What's wrong with telling Ms. Granger? She seems trustworthy." Scarlet said with no malice in her voice.

They worked their way to the tower as Hermione described and introduced the different parts of the castle. Finally arriving at the tower, the Heads gave the required password and Scarlet bid her goodbyes. Before closing the door behind her, she gave Blaise a lingering gaze that didn't go unnoticed by Hermione.

...

The Heads began their way back to their dorm in uncomfortable silence. Footsteps from both of them could be heard through the halls.

"Hermione-" Blaise stopped to face her.

"Oh! It's getting late! I have to feed Charcoal. Sorry, Blaise. I'll see you later." She said not wanting to hear from him at the moment. With her face troubled, she hurried away from him as Blaise stared after her.

"Hermione!" He yelled after her, but she had already round the corner. _What am I trying to do? It's not like I have to apologize about Scarlet. Hermione and I aren't in that kind of relationship. We are just friends. ...just friends_. He thought sadly as he decided it was best if he roamed the halls before going back.

* * *

The next day, Hermione was in class with Harry and Ron. It was Advanced Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. Trying to concentrate on Professor McGonagall's lecture, Hermione focused her eyes and ears on the teacher before her, but her eyes kept drifting to the pureblood girl a table away from her. Throughout class, McGonagall questioned Scarlet on several topics and she was able to correctly answer them back in concise and accurate responses.

 _She's courteous, intelligent, and beautiful. It's not a surprise that she is engaged to Blaise. They have known each other since childhood. You can't come between that. There was no chance for me. I shouldn't even think it_...

 _Yes... I should cheer them on. They are perfect for each other. I have to forget my silly feelings for him. We aren't meant for each other_. She thought to herself as a single tear fell from her eye. She quickly wiped it away to rid anyone from noticing.

Sitting next to her, Harry noticed that Hermione was being unusual. She normally would write down three pages of notes during lecture even though she already knew the topic beforehand. He saw her wipe something from her face looking away from him. Worried, he wrote a note to her. **Are you alright? Is there something wrong**? He passed it over to her.

Interrupting her thoughts, she felt a nudge from Harry. She noticed there was a scrap of paper next to her hand and read the words on it. Smiling after she finished reading it, she wrote back. **I'm fine. It's nothing. Just tired**. She smiled knowing that she shouldn't feel sad about a love that didn't even happen or begin, but instead she has friends that are real and present. Attempting to erase any sad emotions, she plucked up her courage that she is known for and glanced at Harry and smiled up at him.

He smiled back sweetly, but thought he saw a hint of remorse in her eyes. He didn't want to push her about it if she didn't feel ready to tell him. Harry decided he will make sure he is there for her when she needs him to be.

* * *

The next few days Hermione tried to act normal around Blaise. She also tried to avoid him as much as she could to distance herself from him and help her process in forgetting her feelings for him. Time flew through the week and before she knew it, it was time for the weekly Head and Prefect meeting. She decided to go as late as she could to avoid giving them a chance to talk to each other. Hermione reached the door and immediately saw Blaise and Scarlet having a private conversation. With Blaise's back facing her, Hermione could not see his face as Scarlet moved closer to him. Not knowing why, she quickly hid herself behind the wall still hearing length away from them.

"Scarlet. What are you doing here? I have a meeting soon."

"I came to see my fiancé. Am I not permitted to?"

"Of course you are." He sighed. "I will visit you after the meeting. It's almost time for people to come in."

"Alright then. I will see you soon." She said as she leaned in close.

Checking to see if they were done talking, she peeked her head and saw what she believed as Blaise and Scarlet kissing. She quickly ducked her head and covered her mouth with her hand starting to tremble to stifle her gasp. Seeing some prefects round the corner coming close, she quickly stumbled away to hopefully a secluded area. She sat on the floor knees hugged close to her chest afraid she might not have the strength and willpower to stand firm. Losing control of her emotions, she began to sob as she tried to cover her mouth even tighter trying to muffle her sounds.

 _When did I start to like him so much? Why is this affecting me so strongly? He is someone else's. He's been hers for a long time._

 _I had no chance to start with. It's not meant to be. I know that! But why am I being like this? I've already decided to move on_. She thought shakily.

 _Stop Hermione. Stop being a weak emotional little girl. You are a Gryffindor. It's time to move on_ _!_ She tried to convince herself.

Hermione tried desperately to calm down but to no avail couldn't. She lowered her head to her knees hiding her face. Suddenly, she heard someone walk up to her and whispered, "Foolish girl."

* * *

 **A/N: And another chapter done though it's a bit shorter than the previous one. Sorry. 😬I hope you like it! And again, please review, follow, or favorite if you can. If not, I'm still glad you are reading my story! I am honored. *bows 90 degree* Thank you all!**

 **Update on my soda resolution: It is only five days so far. I am so tempted to take a sip or drive somewhere to buy a cup of cola! It isn't helpful that it is sold EVERY FREAKING PLACE I GO! 😤*huff huff huff* *collect my self* thank you for letting me rant.**

 **I'm not giving up on this.- One PUNNNCCCHHH! 👊**

 **Thank you wonderful readers and have a magical day!**

 **-DiagonAlleyorBust**


	8. Chapter 8: Foolishness All Around

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Chapter 8: Foolishness All Around

Hermione tried desperately to calm down but to no avail couldn't. She lowered her head to her knees hiding her face. Suddenly, she heard someone walk up to her and whispered, "Foolish girl."

* * *

Hermione tried to stifle the sounds coming from within her. She slowly looked up and saw Draco Malfoy standing in front of her looking grim.

"Malfoy... I am a fool." She admitted as she hid her face again and sniffled.

Draco growled in frustration as he continued to stare at the miserable girl in front of him. At that moment, he heard a couple of footsteps walking towards their direction. He quickly grabbed her arm forcing her to stand as she toppled on his chest covering her figure with his, so whoever walked by wouldn't recognize her.

Startled at the sudden movement, Hermione widened her eyes as she fell against Malfoy's chest as she was pushed against the wall. She looked up at him as he looked over his shoulder to check if the coast was clear. As she felt her heart quicken, she started to protest but Malfoy quickly backed away as soon as he saw the students walk away.

"What was that for?" She asked sniffling. Trying to gather her thoughts, she quickly remembered what she saw happen with Blaise and Scarlet and a rush of emotions flowed over her. As soon as she felt the emotions, her head started to throb.

"Ugh.." She grimaced as she held her head.

Seeing her change in character, he was concerned. "Granger, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm..fine..." She said as her head continued to throb painfully.

"You don't look it." He said eyeing her closely.

"No...please...leave...me-" She muttered out holding her head tighter as if it was helping with the pain. She suddenly fainted as Draco quickly held out his arms catching her before she hit the floor.

"Granger! Granger!" Draco said shaking her in his arms. "Not again." He muttered and groaned. He proceeded to lift her and make his way to the hospital wing. Holding her this time, he felt different than before. He felt a sense of worry towards the girl he was holding and didn't seemed as annoyed about the situation although the few students walking by and whispering to themselves were still bothersome.

* * *

Scarlet leaned over to Blaise and kissed his cheek. She leaned back to smile back at him as Blaise smiled tense. Scarlet noticed his smile but said nothing of it. Heading to the door, she remembered the ball her housemates had told her about a while ago.

"Oh yes, Blaise. I hear there is a ball before winter break. I assume we are going together, correct?" She questioned her voice sounding confident even though inside she was nervous.

"Yes." He said simply turning around and facing her.

Scarlet accepted his short response and smiled softly as she left.

After she left, Blaise waited for Hermione to arrive. "She should be here anytime now." He said out loud as his eyes trained at the door.

Moments later, the prefects filed in, but there was no sign of Hermione. He decided to wait a bit longer due to the possibility of her running late even though she was never late. Not able to wait any longer, he started the meeting by himself as he continued to worry about her absence.

* * *

Draco arrived at the hospital wing the third time of this year and kicked the doors open. Bustling from her room, Madame Pomprey walked out ready to reprimand the perpetrator, but saw Hermione Granger in the arms of Draco Malfoy again.

"Mr. Malfoy, what happened? This is the second time this year Ms. Granger is unconscious in your arms." She questioned him with a raised brow.

Draco scowled. "This is not by choice." He settled Hermione down on one of the beds and proceeded to tell the older witch what he witnessed with her sudden headache. The older witch took in the information with a worried look and turned to the bed. She began to do the usual check up spells for complications and such. Seeing the older witch's frown, Draco grew concerned. "Is there something wrong?" He asked.

"Oh, no. no. Nothing to worry about." The older witch said as her spells came back normal, but continued to conduct more tests.

Unwittingly, Draco released a sigh of relief.

...

As Draco was making his way to the hospital wing, one of the students who saw him with Hermione immediately sprinted to the Gryffindor tower. Spotting Harry who was lounging around the common room, he quickly walked up to him and told him what he saw. Harry said a word of thanks and dashed out the door.

Upon arriving, Harry looked around for Hermione and spotted Malfoy standing near his friend. Seeing this was the second time Malfoy was seen carrying an unconscious Hermione made him very wary of the Slytherin, he went to check on Hermione and noticed that even with her eyes closed, she looked tired with the area around her eyes red and swollen. He then approached the Slytherin boy and spoke in a dangerous tone.

"Malfoy, it's best if you tell me quickly what happened and why Hermione was seen unconscious in your arms again."

Raising one of his eyebrow taunting Harry, Malfoy spoke back. "Don't go assuming things again, Potter. That foolish girl just fainted again and I was there. End of story."

About to speak again, Madame Pomprey rushed out shushing them before Harry could say anymore.

Seeing Harry was there for his friend, Draco left the hospital wing with a grimace and headed down towards the dungeons.

 _Is Blaise that great for her to faint after crying for him? I mean he is my mate, but that foolish girl was sobbing to the extent that her head hurt. What is wrong with her?_ Draco thought to himself. He flashbacked to just moments ago when he saw her crying in the halls. He approached her before his mind could tell him no.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" He muttered as he continued down the hallway as he shook his head.

* * *

"That is all for today. Any questions?" Blaise directed his attention to the prefects in front of him. Answering all the questions he received quickly, he wrapped the meeting up. Gathering his belongings, he started his way to the Ravenclaw tower where Scarlet was waiting for him.

 _Where is Hermione?_ He wondered as he climbed up the stairs.

A few students passed by him and he heard the words "Hermione Granger" and "hospital wing". He was quickly filled with dread not knowing what had happened but worry consumed him. Blaise redirected himself and headed to the hospital wing rapidly.

At the hospital wing, he saw Harry and was told what happened as he looked at the girl he came to love. He looked at her tenderly but frowned when he saw the swolleness of the area near her eye.

 _Was she crying? What made her so sad? If only I can take whatever burden or problem she has in place of her, I would_. He thought grimly.

Madame Pomprey came out when she saw another hindrance in her wing and ordered that there can only be one person near the patient. Harry told Blaise that he will watch her since he was done with class as Blaise was forced to reluctantly leave the hospital wing. He headed back towards the Ravenclaw tower slowly trying to erase the image of Hermione's worn out face out of his head.

* * *

Hermione did not wake for three days as Harry stayed by her side those days aside from classes. Ron, Neville and Ginny took turns bringing food up to him as he immediately ran to hospital wing when classes ended. They changed shifts with Harry whenever they could so at least one of them could be near her.

"She's going to fine mate." Ron said as he looked worry about his two best friends. One unconscious in bed and another not functioning properly. "Madame Pomprey says it will take a few days."

"I know... I just want to be next to her when she wakes." Harry said as he started to dig through the food Ron brought up to him.

"Well, you need to sleep soon mate. You are shutting down. Go sleep in your bed and I'll watch her." Ron suggested.

Harry began to protest but feeling his body was heavy and his eyesight groggy, he decided it would be best to get some shut eye for a bit. He finished his tray of food and left the wing as he took one last glance at Hermione.

...

Draco and Blaise were back in the Head dorm. The three familiars playing with each other as Charcoal and Blade now much bigger than before perched on Crookshanks back as he walked around the dorm. Crookshanks didn't mind the owls as he's grown accustomed to them. Spotting the Slytherins, Crookshanks meowed at the boys demanding to know where his owner was because it's been three days since he's seen her.

"She's still in the hospital wing." Blaise said to him knowing what he wanted.

Draco's ear perked as he heard Blaise's comment. "Still?" He said frowning.

"Yeah, Madame Pomprey said it would take a few days. She says that the cause of her fainting was extreme stress and pressure. What caused for that to happen?" Blade answered him and thought out loud.

"You." Draco muttered under his breath. Knowing that Blaise was the cause of Hermione's heartbreak and stress, Draco kept his mouth shut.

 _Telling Blaise wouldn't help him, he is also engaged so it would be troublsome if he knew that she liked him. That's the reason I'm not saying a word to him about it... right?_ Draco thought perplexed.

* * *

After his patrol of the halls that night, Blaise decided to check on Hermione before he headed back to the dorm. He saw the boy Weasley sitting next to her bed dozing off. He slowly worked his way over to the bed. Hermione was laying on the bed; her chest peacefully rose up and down as she breathed. He examined her face and wished to see the honey colored orbs looking back at him as they did during the summer. He softly caressed her hair and hoped she will open her eyes soon. Seeing there were no one near able to hear him, he whispered gently to the sleeping girl.

"I love you." He said as he sadly looked at her.

 _Scarlet is just a fiancée by name. She is just a sister to me._

 _I never believed in love... until I found you... but being able to say my inner most secret makes me feel happy enough. I just want to prevent whatever stress you encounter and take it on myself. Protect you in every way I can._

He thought to himself as he continued to softly caress her hair.

He slowly retracted his hand from her head and left the room quietly.

...

A few moments ago, Draco was back in his dorm in his bed. Rolling around several times, he was still awake despite the attempts to sleep.

"Why is she in my mind?" He huffed as his thoughts drifted to Hermione when tried to sleep. After hearing about her still the hospital wing, he unwittingly grew concerned. He sat up on his bed frustrated. He ruffled his hair furiously.

"What is wrong with me?" He muttered. Before he could decide otherwise, he pulled off his sheets and stood in a flash. His dorm mates snoring and sleeping soundly in their respective beds. Jealous of their ability to sleep deeply, he kicked Goyle's bedpost causing him to grunt and scratch his belly as he turned and continued to snore.

Hastily putting on his robe, he then exited the Slytherin dungeons and made his way to the hospital way. Upon arriving, he saw the red head sitting next to Hermione starting to fall asleep so he stood aside and hid in the dark until he did. When Weasley was fianlly dozing off, Blaise suddenly entered the room. Seeing his childhood friend walk up to the girl in the bed, he raised his eyebrow in question.

 _What is he doing here so late? Wait.. what the bloody hell am I doing here!_?

He said as he started to leave quietly then he heard three words whispered softly from the Italian boy's mouth, "I love you." He gripped his hands into a fist feeling his body tense and heat up.

 _What?...Blaise you can't possible love her?!_

 _She's a mud-muggle born._ He quickly changed his thoughts _._

 _When did I stop saying that word?... You are engaged to Scarlet... you know that!.. you can't love this girl_! Draco thought as he stealthily left the wing before being noticed and doing anything he would soon regret.

"Can't believe he loves her. Her! Out of all things!" He muttered angrily.

 _Wait. Why am I getting angry over this? Blaise has been with several girls before this is no different. Why does it matter to me?... It doesn't... it's because he should accept being engaged with a Scarlet, that's why_. He tried to convince himself.

* * *

The next day Hermione finally woke up when the students and her friends had class. Madame Pomprey explained to her what happened and she flashbacked to herself crying and found by Malfoy. Embarrassed by her actions, she kept silent and nodded to the remarks of the older witch. She recommended Hermione to take a daily potion for the headache since this time she didn't wake for a few days and avoid stressful situations. A bit surprised that it took her three days to wake and she had to take a daily potion, Hermione slowly accepted the potion from the older witch as she became a little worried.

She was allowed to leave with the older witch's permission as classes resumed. Seeing her friends at the Great Hall, they all were relieved and happy that she was up and running. The next few days ran by smoothly as she became accustomed to the potion she was to take daily and interacted with her friends especially Blaise naturally. She decided it would be best to continue as normal and not hope for anything more from him than friendship. She was surprised at her own resolve but was proud none the less.

...

At the Great Hall, the Gryffindor bunch were having lunch when they came across the topic of the ball. Neville and Ron both found dates the week before and were not that excited for it. They didn't want to shoot down the girls who asked them since they looked so excited and hopeful.

Ginny turned to Hermione and asked if she's has a date yet.

"No, I don't care for one." She said as she wiped her lips with her napkin.

"I can introduce someone to you." Ginny grinned. "I had several people come up to me asking about you."

"Why are they asking you if they can just ask me directly?" Hermione said as she furrowed her brow.

"Maybe because you have been in the medical wing...Oh, never mind that. One of them is a perfect match for you. He's intelligent, cute, and loves books like you."

"Just because he loves books doesn't mean he's the perfect match, Ginny..." Hermione said shaking her head chuckling at her friend's ridiculousness.

"You won't know unless you met him." Ginny retorted.

Hermione continued to refuse until Ginny kept coming up with reasons and Hermione ran out of excuses to refuse her. She unenthusiastically agreed to an one hour meet up with one guy to decided whether she would go with him or not to the ball.

During this exchange between Ginny and Hermione, Harry was eating his lunch when he heard that several guys asked Ginny about his friend. He accidentally choked on his food causing him to grab for his water to wash it down. When Hermione finally agreed to Ginny's proposition, Harry tried to not make it obvious that it affected him but Ginny noticed it from the corner of her eye and doesn't say anything.

* * *

Hermione unwillingly walked to the meeting point Ginny told her to meet the guy she wanted to introduce her to. _I'll just politely refuse him and leave._ She thought to herself as she approached the quad. She was told by Ginny that he was from Ravenclaw, but didn't disclose anything else. She arrived at the spot and stood to wait. She huffed impatiently. "How did I get myself into this?"

"I'm sorry if this is a nuisance to you." A deep, soothing voice said behind her.

Hermione turned at saw a well dressed, decent looking guy with short brown hair and brown eyes looking back at her sweetly.

"Oh, I didn't mean that...It's just I'm not really looking for a date. I'm fine just going alone, but my friend instead me to meet you." She blurted out to not give the guy any reason to think she's interested.

"It's fine. We can start out as friends then. My name is Micheal Travis. I'm a sixth year Ravenclaw. I'm sure you don't know me, but I've admired you for a while. Sorry if that sounded creepy. I'm just a bit nervous." He said not trying to pressure her.

"Nice to meet you, Micheal. Yes, let's first be friends and see where that goes." She nodded.

They introduced each other and began to chat. They were able to get along well while discussing different topics that interested them. Before they knew it, the hour was up and Hermione had to go to a previous arranged meeting. They bid their goodbyes and Micheal hoped to see her soon. Hermione agreed thinking that he could be a decent guy to go with to the ball as she felt sorry to quickly assume the worst before knowing him.

...

A pair of eyes saw the meeting of Hermione and Micheal with shock then fury. The owner of the eyes felt a surge of emotion overcome him as he clenched his teeth and balled his fist. He quickly diverted his eyes as he realized how he felt seeing the two together. Walking away, he muttered. "Foolish." Unknown whether he meant himself or the girl that made him feel this way.

* * *

A few days go by, the Slytherin boys, Scarlet and Hermione decided to go to the Quidditch field once again, but this time somewhere farther away than their first time. At first, it was just the boys and Hermione, but Scarlet saw them on the way to the field and tagged along. Hermione offered as a courtesy but didn't expect her to accept. Although she realized Blaise was with them, she then knew that was the main reason she wanted to join. They decided to venture there because to help Charcoal and Blade learn how to fly. It was about time as the pair of owls were showing signs of flight. So they believed if they took them out somewhere spacious, it would be better for them.

"You sure about this, Malfoy?" Hermione asked about the way Draco wanted them to test their owls' flying.

"Yes. Now follow what I do." He said simply and confidently.

He raised Blade on top of a tall T shaped pole they conjured up as Hermione does the same with Charcoal. They watched as the owls looked down towards their owners walking along the top of the pole stretching their wings. They were attempting to flap their wings, but then quickly folded it back down as they continued to do that for a few more moments. All the sudden, Blade jumped down and began to fall. Hermione's heart began to quicken as she nervously looked on. She couldn't take the pressure anymore and moved to run towards him, but Malfoy stopped her.

"Watch." He said as he kept his stare on his beloved owl.

As Blade was diving down towards the grass, he stretched his wings and flapped. His body rose as he flapped his wings harder. He then soared into the sky. Almost immediately, Charcoal followed his brother's action and without a doubt, he also soared following his brother into the sky exploring the great beyond.

Draco was beyond ecstatic as he laughed out loud and fist pumped the air uncharacteristically.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Hermione ran to Draco super excited as he unexpectedly spread his arms around her and lifted her into the air. He twirled her with excitement and delight in both their eyes as they laughed with glee. Draco then brought her close and hugged her tight as she returned the action. After their hug, he set her down and smiled genuinely at her as Hermione's heart skipped a beat while she smiling back. _He has a beautiful smile._ She thought as she admired his rare to be seen smile.

...

Scarlet and Blaise observed the two hugging as Scarlet smiled and said, "I didn't know they were that close."

"They aren't." Blaise said feeling both dread and jealousy as he noticed his friend's real smile.

Scarlet noticed his attitude, but didn't say a thing and looked sadly away.

...

Quickly realizing what he had done, his smile disappeared in a flash and was replaced with a frown. He quickly stepped away from her and wiped his hands on his clothes.

"Who told you to get so close to me, Granger?" He spat as he tried to calm his rapid beating heart.

 _What is this feeling?... Why does this girl aggravate me so much?_

He glared at the girl with a mixture of confusion and anger as she looked back with just as much anger and confusion.

 **A/N: Another chapter down. Hope you guys liked it. Is the writing alright? Do you guys think I'm writing the process too fast or what? Anyways... please review, follow, or favorite if you can that would be awesome! Or just continue reading! I hope I can keep your interest until the end! Every click makes my day!**

 **Hope you guys stayed warm. My area has been cold the past few days so I've been huddled in my warm bed whenever I can and then I am knocked out cold for the next few hours. 😂**

 **Not giving up! ONE PUNNNCCCHHHH!👊 (You guys probably think I'm crazy, lol). I'm still coke deprived right now! Proud of me? Just wanted to share that.**

 **Until next time my wonderful people,** **Cheers!**

 **-DisgonAlleyorBust**


	9. Chapter 9: Revelation?

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Chapter 9: Revelation?

"Who told you to get so close to me, Granger?" He spat as he tried to calm his rapid beating heart.

 _What is this feeling?... Why does this girl aggravate me so much?_ Draco thought heatedly.

He glared at the girl with a mixture of confusion and anger as she looked back with just as much anger and confusion.

* * *

"You hugged ME, Malfoy!" Hermione spat back as she was shocked by his sudden change of attitude.

"..." Unable to extort back, he scowled, turned away from her, and locked his eyes to the two owls flying in the sky.

Hermione speechless with Malfoy's bipolar attitude looked a moment longer at him trying to figure out what made him change so quickly. Unable to decipher the problem, she then also followed his example and watched the owls soaring around in the air.

...

Blaise watched the two and saw something in his friend he hadn't seen before. His blonde friend was feeling warm and tenderness towards Hermione. Seeing how quickly he pushed her back, Blaise realized Draco didn't understand his emotions and were rejecting them. As he realized his friend's feelings, he felt his own ache in his chest as his shoulders tensed at the sight of their skinship.

Oblivious to Blaise, Scarlet glanced to the side as her childhood friend and love looked at another with eyes she wanted for herself. She didn't want to force him to love her if he didn't. It wasn't fair for him and she wouldn't want him to fake his emotions. Seeing him next to her is enough for her she believed; however, a single tear glided down her cheek as she saw Blaise's gaze. Realizing a tear escaped her, she quickly wiped away the tear as she strained her smile at the owl owning couple in front of her.

* * *

A few days passed as the time to the ball and the end of the semester grew near. Many students were preparing for both the ball and final exams. Hermione finally agreed to meet with Micheal once more due to Ginny's incessant questioning. They met outside the Great Hall before lunch as students were leaving classes and heading to the Hall. Students from all directions of the castle started to gradually spill in to the Great Hall.

"Thanks for meeting me." Micheal said smiling nervously. "You don't have to go with me if you don't want to. I don't want to burden you."

"No, it's not that I don't want to. I just don't want to give you the wrong idea if I do." She said feeling bad if she straight out rejected him.

"I get it. Let's go as friends and see how the night goes." He suggested with hopeful eyes.

Seeing how eager he seemed, she let out a sigh as she nodded with a chuckle. "Okay, let's do it then. But let me warn you, I am Head Girl so I have to patrol at the Ball too, I might not have that much time to hang out. I won't be offended if you want to back out now." She said smartly.

"I already figured." He smiled excitedly looking relieved. "I like that about you. That's one of your strong points."

She blushed at his compliment and looked away as she saw Blaise and Malfoy head towards the Hall. For a brief second, she locked eyes with Malfoy; memories of when they hugged and smiled on the Quidditch field popped in her head causing her to blush deeper, but looked away quickly as she remembered his reaction and anger. Turning back to Micheal, she thought if only she had liked someone like him and her life would be so much easier, but unfortunately she didn't feel anything special towards him.

...

Draco and Blaise left their Advanced Potions class and headed upstairs to the Great Hall for lunch. They were discussing what they were planning on doing during the break when they saw a couple outside of the hall.

"Can't they do that somewhere else?" Draco thought out loud.

"Lots of people are trying to find dates to the ball now since the time is drawing close." Blaise said knowingly.

"Do they have to do in front of the area with the most traffic?" Draco questioned.

"The guy seems nervous." Blaise noted.

"Ha! He is going to be rejected." Draco smirked.

They noticed the dark haired boy smile as the girl said something back at him.

 _That backside looks familiar._ Draco thought. _Looks like Granger. Ha, like she would be asked to the ball. She's -_

Draco's train of thought was interrupted as he saw the girl turn toward their direction. Their eyes met. Masking his shock, he looked at her with indifference as he noticed the red tint on her cheeks. After the brief locking of the eyes, she turned away. This made his body boil with heat at that very moment as his eyebrows scrunched up in fury.

 _She dared to look away and ignore me? ...Foolish girl moves on fast. I guess any guy who shows interest will do._ He thought bitterly.

Next to Draco, Blaise also noticed the girl being confessed to was Hermione. Seeing the boy smile as she blushed, he figured she had agreed to go with him. Unable to control his feelings, Blaise looked on with jealousy under his forced smile. Seeing her blush at someone other than him, his heart broke just a bit more. He really wanted to tell her his feelings but his desire to keep their friendship was a bit more stronger. If she wanted, he would leave everything for her. He didn't care about status or money anymore, but she would never like him like that. Blaise thought grimly.

Both Slytherins entered the Great Hall as Hermione and Micheal stayed outside for a while longer.

* * *

On the weekend before finals, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione decided to go to Hogsmeade. Hermione had promised to go with Ginny to dress shop before and had tried to delay it as long as possible hoping she would forget about it. Finally, Ginny won the upper hand and it was time. Harry and Ron wanted to see the new Quidditch store that just opened so they agreed to tag along. As they began to leave, the group saw Blaise, Draco, and Scarlet head towards their direction.

"Hey, are you guys heading to Hogsmeade?" Hermione greeted them cheerfully.

"Yes, we are. You guys are too?" Blaise nodded.

"Hermione and I are going dress shopping. Scarlet, do you want to join us? Have some girl time?" Ginny spoke up as she smiled at Scarlet.

"I would enjoy that very much." Scarlet answered with a sincere smile.

The big group headed their way to the small, overcrowded town full of Hogwarts students. Arriving in front of the town's recently opened dress shop, the gentlemen separated from ladies agreeing to meet them in front of the shop in an hour. The three girls entered the shop taking in the countless dresses lined up in racks in the shop. The interior of the store was much bigger than what was perceived in the outside. Ginny and Hermione looked around the store in awe of the store's size.

Although amazed by the massive collection of dresses, Hermione stood at the front not really interested in the dresses thinking she could just wear her old one. Scarlet also stands idly by. "Are you going to look for a dress, Scarlet?" Ginny asked the Ravenclaw.

"I will look around and see. Thank you, Ginny" She answered elegantly with a kind smile as she began to walk around and scan through the beautiful gowns.

"Alright Hermione, come on." Ginny urged her friend.

"Let me look at the mask section first; I don't have one yet." Hermione said looking for an excuse to not buy a dress.

"I'll look over here then." Ginny nodded as she pointed at a section of the store.

Ginny started to look through the dresses and gasped at the price tag.

"I can't afford this." She mumbled to herself. The shopkeeper heard her worried whisper and smiled. "I have an area with reasonable priced dresses if you would like to see."

Turning to the kind older witch, Ginny smiled sheepishly. "Yes, please." The shopkeeper motioned for her to follow her and to another section of the store.

Seeing her friend bound off with the shopkeeper, Hermione smiled and shook her head. She walked to the masked section and tried on a few simple ones. She decided on a plain white one and thought it was good enough. As she turned to head towards Ginny, a intricate mask encased in the store's display case caught her eye. It was a stunning mask of tastefully decorated metallic silver and royal blue butterfly mask. On the left side, the Venetian style mask had the wing of a butterfly and blue jewels placed carefully on the wing tip. The other side had a beautiful pattern design with the same royal blue. Anyone could tell why this mask was placed in a case instead of outside with basic ones. For some reason, Hermione felt compelled to purchase it. As if the shopkeeper could feel her desire, the older witch suddenly appeared and spoke next to her.

"Is it glorious? I would suit you very well." She unlocked the case and handed the delicate mask to Hermione.

"I can't. My dress doesn't match it." Hermione shook her head refusing the beautiful mask.

"I will find you one." The shopkeeper said with great excitement as she forced the mask into Hermione's hands and walked off into the dress area.

"No, wait-" Hermione called after her, but the shopkeeper disappeared.

Hermione sighed and walked towards the fitting room area where Ginny and Scarlet were. She sat down on one of the couches provided and waited for the other girls to come out. Scarlet walked out with a beautiful dark purple gown that complimented her figure. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and intricate beading through out the dress.

"That looks beautiful!" Hermione gasped. "It looks like it was made for you."

"Thank you, Hermione. I do quite like it." She thanked Hermione. "I hope Blaise will too." She said to herself smiling.

"I'm sure he will." Hermione said with a smile, proud of herself of being genuinely happy for Scarlet and Blaise. She has learned to move on slowly but surely.

Ginny exited her changing room with a classy short strapless baby doll dress. It was burgundy red with exquisite golden embellishments that cascade from the sweetheart bodice to the flared tulle skirt.

"Very wise choice, Ginny." Scarlet nodded at the redhead.

"Thanks, I think so too. It is a bit over my price range, but it's okay. It's worth it." Ginny agreed.

"Harry will be speechless after seeing you in that." Hermione added.

"I hope so." Ginny smiled sadly as she remembered all the times when Harry was with Hermione and how he looked at her brunette friend.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Hermione asked her sensing her friend's sadness.

"Yes, I'm fine." Ginny said smiling wider to Hermione to convince her friend.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked concerned. As Ginny contemplated about whether telling Hermione what she'd witnessed about Harry, the shopkeeper bustled through to them with a gown in her hand.

"I fouunnnd thee onneee!" She sang as she arrived in front them beaming.

"What is she on about?" Ginny asked purposely changing their attention to the shopkeeper.

"I found the perfect dress for your friend. It will go beautifully with that mask she's holding." The shopkeeper answered for Hermione as she nodded towards the mask in Hermione's hand.

The two other girls finally noticed the mask and gasped.

"That is a gorgeous mask, Hermione." Scarlet commented admiring the intricate design.

"Wow, where did you find this? It looks like it was made for you. Hurry! Try them on!" Ginny gushed as she took the dress from the shopkeeper and forced it onto Hermione. She then pushed Hermione towards the changing room with the gown.

"Wait-. No-. I'm okay. I don't need to buy a dress." Hermione objected trying to stop her friend.

"What's the harm in trying it on?" Ginny said as she put her hands on her hip.

"I'm just trying it on. That's it." Hermione gave up resisting.

Hermione reluctantly made her way to the changing room and put on the gown. The shopkeeper was right. It was beautiful. The sheer mesh sweetheart bodice was embellished with brilliant jeweled accents. The high neckline and the bodice perfectly accentuated her toned waistline. As she turned around to see the back, she widened her eyes in surprise. The back design was a bit more daring that she was used to but it covered enough skin to make the dress elegant. With the flowing A-line chiffon floor length skirt, the dress was really perfect. She placed the delicate mask on. The shopkeeper was right again; it matched perfectly. She left her changing room to the common area and heard the ladies gasp.

"I told you! I knew it!" The shopkeeper smiled broadly.

"You must buy it." Scarlet said approvingly.

"Yes, Hermione! Do it! This was made for you!" Ginny said excitedly.

"I don't know it's a bit out of my price range." Hermione said as she looked at the price tag.

"Ms. Knightly here has already settled the dresses you guys decided on including the one you are wearing." The shopkeeper said.

"What? Scarlet?" Ginny shouted shocked.

"Scarlet...you shouldn't have. I'll pay you back when we get back." Hermione said as she shook her head trying to convince Scarlet to let her pay for her gown.

"Don't worry. Think of it as a Christmas present. I wanted you guys to have the perfect dresses." Scarlet smiled.

"It's too much, Scarlet..." Hermione said.

"I'm glad that you guys invited me to come with you. Please accept my gift." Scarlet said.

"Of course, we would invite you. Come and hang with us anytime. Thank you." Ginny said as she hugged Scarlet.

"Yes, Scarlet. You are a great person with a kind and gracious heart." Hermione said as she thanked Scarlet.

The girls continued to chat a bit until Hermione decided it was time to change out of the dress. Ginny and Scarlet left the changing room common area and headed to the front counter to see their dresses and find masks of their own.

During on of his announcements during dinner, Dumbledore also added that the students could choose to change their hair and eye color if they would like since it was a masquerade ball. Hermione went to her changing room and looked at herself in the mirror Dumbledore's briefing, she thought she would try it since she had the dress and mask on and moved to take out her wand. Just for the heck of it, she pointed the wand at her hair, murmured a spell, changed her hair color. Her hair slowly shifted to a darker shade of brown with a strand of silver in the front. She smiled at herself through the mask appreciating what she did. It looked strange at first but liked it after looking at it a bit longer.

Then suddenly she heard a loud rustling outside. The door to her changing room flung open and quickly shut behind the intruder as he closed it as fast as he opened it. She turned and trained her wand at the unwelcome guest.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked menacingly.

* * *

The gentlemen bid their goodbyes with the ladies and headed to the Quidditch shop with the main reason being that it housed the latest Quidditch gear. Ron hurried over to the Chudley Cannons merchandise corner and checked if there were any new collectibles that he didn't have. Harry, Blaise, and Draco were admiring the newest and fastest broomstick ever made, the Lighting Stream. It was advertised to being two time faster than the Firebolt with controls smoother than ever. All professional teams were switching out their Firebolts for it.

All three of them went to the counter to order it. Since Draco paid first, he told them he was going to go buy some more treats for Blade and Charcoal to save time. They agreed to meet him in front of the dress shop later with the girls. Leaving the pet shop, he sensed there were people following him. He kept glancing behind and saw a group of girls try to hide themselves behind a random building. He continued his path to the dress shop, but seeing that he was early, he stood outside to wait. He looked to the side and saw a few female students standing way too close for comfort. He thought they had stopped that stalking nonsense already and frowned deeply. Deciding to lose them, he made his way into the dress shop. Looking behind his shoulder, he saw them follow him in causing his frown to deepen even more if possible. He made his way further inside the store and saw Ginny and Scarlet at the front of the store. He continued further into the back as he saw the students getting closer. Trying to lose them, he spotted the changing rooms. Darting to the changing room area and choosing the nearest room, Draco opened the door and quickly closed it behind him.

"What are you doing in here?" He heard a female voice and he paused. Cold sweat ran through him as he realized he accidentally entered a changing room with someone in it. And a female someone at that! He slowly turned around to not spook the female.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to find somewhere to hide-" he started and froze as his heart jumped to his throat. In front of him was a beautiful girl with dark brown hair wearing a mask and dress that made him speechless, her eyes were dark with anger which made her more attractive and alive in his eyes.

 _"_ Beautiful _."_ He whispered softly as he was mesmerized by the girl in front of him.

"He's not here. Let's go." Someone shouted outside the room and walked away as the sounds of their footsteps faded from the dressing room.

Snapping out of his trance, he murmured an apology and quickly left the changing room he accidentally barged into with the image of the beautiful girl burned in his mind.

...

Back in the changing room, Hermione stood there shocked at the sudden appearance of Malfoy and his faint whisper. She thought she heard him say "Beautiful."

 _Was he talking about me?_ She pondered.

She blushed at the possibility, but then she remembered she was still wearing her dress and mask.

 _Oh, he probably meant the dress. Did he not recognize it was me?_ Thinking to herself puzzled. She looked at herself in the mirror.

 _That's right, I changed my hair._ She realized.

She quickly changed her hair back and changed out of the dress. She left the changing room and headed to the counter. Noticing Malfoy wasn't there anymore, she felt a bit disappointed.

...

Draco left the shop in a daze thinking back to the girl in the blue dress. His brows furrowed in confusion.

 _What is this feeling? ...why can't I get her out of my mind?...Will I see her again? She's probably going to the masquerade_ ball... Remembering her mask, he thought feeling hopeful in seeing her again for a second which quickly changed to a feeling of disappointed as he continued his thought.

.. _but I don't even know her name._

In the spur of the moment before he could stop himself from acting like a love-sick fool, he turned back in the shop and walked briskly to the changing room in search for the mystery girl. The room was empty.

 _Damn. Maybe she just left and I just missed her._ He believed.

He ran outside and looked around for any sign of a dark brown haired girl. All he saw were some third or fourth year kids walking along the street playing with the snow. His search was halted as the boys arrived to the shop animatedly talking about the new Quidditch gear.

"What's wrong, Draco?" Blaise asked noticing his friend was a little off.

"Nothing." Draco said as he zoned out thinking back to the mystery girl.

"So Malfoy, who are you going to the dance?" Ron asked curiously as they were discussing it earlier, but Draco wasn't listening.

"No one." Draco said. He didn't really care about the stupid dance. Many from his fan club asked him and he shot them down immediately. Ninety percent of them he had not even seen before. Now, all he wanted to do is to see that girl in the blue dress one more time.

At this moment, the girls left the shop to join them. Draco looked over at them as his gaze lingered over to Hermione unconsciously. He snapped his gaze away from her as he reprimanded himself.

 _What am I looking at Granger for?_ He thought as his mouth formed another frown. A thought came across his mind shocking himself as he frowned more.

 _...it can't be that I like her...No.. that's impossible..No bloody way...I would not like someone like her..._ _...she's not someone that I would like...she's..._ _She's Granger. She's insufferable. S_ _he's foolish and doesn't think of her own well being._ _She's an annoying know-it-all...but risks her life for others...There isn't anything good about her._

Draco tried to convince himself as he thought of her cons while unwittingly thought of her pros along the way. He quickly glanced over at Hermione and shook his head.

"Bloody Gryffindor." He grumbled.

He furiously ran his hand through his hair as he rapidly became frustrated. Blaise looked at his friend questioningly with concern as the others looked at him with confusion.

Ignoring them, his mind went back to the mystery girl trying to effectively rid his mind of Hermione. _Once I find her, Granger will not confuse me anymore_.

 **A/N: Whoo. One more chapter down. Hope you guys liked it. Please review if you can. Follow or Favorite if you haven't yet. Or continue reading! You all are awesome either way!**

 **15 days into the new year and I have caved in yet! Yes! (New Year's resolution: No soft drinks.) 😏**

 **Once more, Onnnneee Punnncchhh👊! One more thing I wanted to share, I tried the House Placement four times. So I am officially a Ravenclaw, I couldn't get Slytherin no matter how hard I tried. 😂 It's all good though, Ravenclaw is my second favorite. Share what you guys got if you can! Love to hear from you all!**

 **Cheers!**

 **-DiagonAlleyorBust**


	10. Chapter 10: Flying and Dancing

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Chapter 10: Flying and Dancing

Ignoring them, his mind went back to the mystery girl trying to effectively rid his mind of Hermione. _Once I find her, Granger will not confuse me anymore_.

* * *

Leaving the blonde boy alone with his thoughts, the group headed back to the castle and their normal schedules resumed. Final exams were almost underway as students flocked the usually empty library to cram content into their brains. Hermione's normal spot in library was taken so she decided to find a more quiet and less crowded place to study.

Seeing as many students were studying, she figured the Quidditch fields would be empty now. It was the perfect place actually since the day was oddly warm considering it was winter as the sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky. She headed her way to the fields and climbed up to the Gryffindor stands when she arrived. Stepping up a few notches, she settled herself down on one of the benches in the mid section of the stands and pulled out her studying materials. Glancing up to the sky, she searched for Charcoal because she had been regularly letting him out to stretch his wings and hunt for food. At times, she would be in her room and find herself with two owls inside of one. Blade would join his brother in her room as he has grown accustomed to being in her dorm and spoiled with treats from Hermione or Blaise. Unable to find a glimpse of her dear owl, she continued her reviewing after setting aside a bag of treats just in case.

...

II An Hour Ago II

For the past few days, Draco scouted around for the mystery girl. When he saw someone from behind with the similar hair style and color of the girl, he would grab her and turn her around to face him hoping it was her. Unfortunately, no one matched the image he had in his head. When he was disappointed with the reveal, he would silently walk away after he stopped the girls in the halls which rendered them speechless and mostly confused. Of the many times he glanced across the Great Hall searching for an ounce of similarity to the girl, his eyes always seemed to trail back to the Gryffindor he tried to take his mind off of. This caused his mood to sour and direct his anger towards his plate of food. Seeing Malfoy's sudden mood change, the Slytherins near him at the table left him alone and scooted away from him not keen in facing the wrath of a pissed Malfoy.

Leaving from the Great Hall after lunch, Draco arrived at his dorm annoyed and frustrated at the fact that he hadn't found the girl yet. Seeing that he's been in Hogwarts for the six years already, he figured he knew the faces of the people in his year and the year below. The girl looked as if she was his age, but it was hard to tell the face because of the mask.

 _Why am I so caught up about this?_ He questioned himself as he slammed his door behind him effectively alerting Blade in his cage.

Cursing as he threw his books down at the foot of his bed, he heard the hoot of Blade signaling that he was awake and ready to be let out. Draco laid in his bed and placed his forearm over his eyes ignoring Blade, but young owl hooted again this time louder than before. Noticing his owner's motionless body, Blade hopped around and hooted repeatedly. Draco stayed still and shut his eye trying to tune out the young owl, but the owl wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

"Alright! I'm up!" Draco shouted as he sat up and walked to the dark owl's cage.

Opening the latch, Blade impatiently pushed the door open and fluttered around Draco's head signaling his owner. Knowing what Blade wanted, he grabbed his new broomstick with a huff. Seeing the carved name of _Lighting Stream_ on the smooth handle, he then cracked a small grin as he gradually grew excited. He could go for a ride. Flying always tended to make him feel better.

"You want to race? You got it." He spoke to Blade with a smile. Blade hooted back in affirmation and perched on Draco's shoulder. Handing Blade a treat, Draco headed out the room with his broomstick and owl. As soon as they were out of the castle, Blade soared high into the sky leaving his owner behind. If owls could smirk, this one would definitely be smirking right now.

"Oh no, you don't!" Draco grinned determinedly as he mounted his new broomstick and shot into the sky in one fluid movement. Tailing the young and energetic owl, Draco willed his broomstick faster as he zoomed closer. True to its claim, the broomstick was faster and smoother than anything he had ridden before. A rare wide smile spread across his handsome face as he felt the usual thrills and more from flying especially with the new broomstick. The owl and its owner sped across the sky besting one another for quite a while until Blade spotted his brother perched on one of the castle towers. He slowed down and glided over to Charcoal who was feeding on a prey he had caught moments earlier. Noticing his owl's changed flight pattern, Draco pulled his handle towards him as he slowed and neared the tower. Blade greet his brother as Charcoal offered to share the remainder of his prey to his brother. Accepting the offer, Blade takes the prey and swallowed it in a few gulps.

"You guys ready for another round?" Draco said after the young birds finished with their meal.

Charcoal hooted back to Draco as he spread his wings and flapped them. Within a few seconds he was in the air, Blade followed suit. They began to fly fast in the sky leaving the blonde human behind. Adjusting his direction, Draco sped off from where he was hot on their tails.

Not their first rodeo with Draco, Blade and Charcoal took turns flying in swirls near his broom to veer him off course. The three zoomed past over the Owlery disturbing some of the school owls resting on the roof. They hooted angrily after the three disappearing backs. Dodging Blade who purposely flew close to his right side, Draco glided along the grass fields with Charcoal not far behind him. With the Quidditch fields in front them, Draco narrowed his eyes as he lowered his body on his _Lighting Stream;_ and with a burst of power, he zoomed towards the vast field grinning widely thinking the owls wouldn't be able to catch up.

Almost to the border of field, two black objects darted past him and Draco growled as he saw the feathers of the birds. Ever since they learned how to fly, they have become faster than he anticipated for them to be. They were already faster than most owls he's seen before. Although the broomstick was a new one he wasn't used to, Draco pushed pass the safety limit to pursue them. Attempting to knock Draco off course, Blade veered left towards his owner as they flew past the audience stands and down towards the grass. Draco dodged left, but suddenly Charcoal appeared out of nowhere on his left; so the blonde quickly jerked the handle up. Seeing it was a new broom, the controls were more sensitive than he was used to. The broom darted up quickly as Draco lost his grip and the _Lighting Stream_ flew up from under him as he started to fall. He clawed at the air trying to grab the broomstick, but it was gone before he knew it. Ten feet from the ground, he plunged down and fell hard causing the wind to be knocked out of him.

"Bloody...hell.." He managed to curse out. He coughed and struggled to push himself up. Finally feeling the impact his body had from the fall, he grunted painfully as he struggled to sit up. From above, he heard the hoots from Blade and Charcoal, but they weren't in his line of sight.

He cursed out loud again as he tried to stand. Pain shot through his right leg and hip when he tried to put weight on it. He gripped his leg in attempt to lessen the agony.

"Argh.." he groaned as he clenched his teeth and toughened himself to start to limp to the castle.

...

Hermione was re-reading her notes for Advanced Transfiguration for the nth time just to make sure she went over everything. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past her causing her notes to fly all over the place. She quickly reacted and snatched the ones nearest to her and accio-ed the notes floating its way out of the stands. She placed the notes securely in her book as she looked around for the source of the sudden gust of wind. Hermione looked down and saw someone flying in a broom faster than she's ever seen. She saw two birds fly near the flyer as she squinted her eyes at the fast moving creatures.

"Is that Charcoal and Blade?" She asked out loud when she noticed the two owls. She gasped when she saw the flyer's broomstick fly from under him as the flyer himself fell for the ground. Finally recognizing the flyer, her heart skipped a beat as she panicked.

"Oh no, Malfoy!" She gasped under her breath. Spotting Hermione, the owls flew up to her as if signaling her to help. She nodded, packed her belongings, and headed down the steps to the field. The two owls flew to the abadoned broomstick as Charcoal grabbed the front and Blade held the back. They flew over to Draco and glided near him.

"Thanks." He grimaced as he took the broomstick from them. The owls looked at him with concern. "I'm fine. I just need a quick trip to the hospital wing." He assured them. He started to limp his way towards the castle grimacing the whole time as he turned away from the two birds.

"Malfoy!" He heard a voice behind him. He stopped at his tracks at the voice. Hermione ran up next to him with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Granger? What are you doing here?" He asked stunned.

"I should ask you the same thing! Flying like that! Have you no fear? With Blade and Charcoal no less!" She reprimanded. "Let me support you." She said as she lift his arm over her shoulder so he could put his weight on her instead of his injured side. Before he could protest, she added without looking at him. "Just bare with it until the hospital wing. I can tell it hurts. I wouldn't touch you unless it was necessary, don't worry."

Draco closed his mouth but grumbled a "thanks". They headed their way back to the hospital wing with Draco's right arm over Hermione's shoulder. On the other hand, he held the broomstick and limped along. Feeling bitter that he was using a girl's shoulder for support, he cursed inwardly. The two made their way up to the hospital wing in silence with the two owls trailing behind them. Whispers were heard throughout the halls as they made their way slowly up the stairs. Halfway to their destination, Draco noticed Hermione's heavy breathing because she was gradually becoming tired from the weight he placed on her. He tried to pull his arm away, but she grabbed it tighter keeping him from removing it from its spot.

"It's fine. We are almost there." She huffed. He looked at the crown of the Hermione's head with a mixture of bewilderment and annoyance.

 _Bloody stubborn witch. Always forcing people to follow her orders. Pushing herself even though she is clearly exerting herself. Not ladylike at all. It was crazy to even thought of me liking her. Preposterous_. He thought to himself with a scoff.

Without a word, he complied as he glowered at her, and they continued their steps towards the hospital wing.

She left Draco at the hospital wing after she made sure Madame Pomprey came over to treat him. Charcoal decided to stay with his brother to make sure Draco was alright. Hermione turned to take one last glance at the Slytherin as she motioned to shut the door then their eyes met. Slamming the door shut abruptly, she felt herself heat up as she closed her eyes regretting her decision to glance a last time. Hermione quickly turned, adjusted her backpack, and walked away from the wing flushed and perplexed.

"Bloody rude girl." Draco muttered after she slammed the door when he saw her leave.

* * *

During lunch the next day, Dumbledore gave an announcement with the usual matters, but he had extra news to disclose.

"As you all know, the ball is drawing near. I have a few more things I would like to point out. There will be a mandatory dance lesson. All years are required to attend. The sessions will be broken off into three sessions. Session 1 will be with the First Years, Second Years, and Third Years. Session 2 will be with the Fourth Years and Fifth Years. And Session 3 will be with the remaining Sixth Years and Seventh Years. Remember, this is mandatory. If you do not go, you are not allowed to go to the ball." He ended with a smile. The silence broke in that instance as the students began to talk amongst themselves some excited about the lesson and others not so much.

"Ah, yes. One more thing." He added as the students slowly quieted down. "Since the ball is a masquerade ball, there is one more important rule. You will not be able to share your identity to anyone other than your date until you hear this chime." He said as he took his wand, waved, and a chime resonated five times across the hall. "To reinforce this rule, a spell will be casted that will automatically take effect when you enter the event location."

"Now then, enjoy your meal." His voice boomed as he waved his hand and food appeared magically on the tables. Murmurs were immediately heard throughout the large room as students were both fascinated and discontent with the new information. A Gryffindor girl could be seen looking over to the Slytherin table searching for a blonde someone amongst the crowd.

* * *

The day for the dance lesson arrived; Sessions 1 and 2 were over and the third one was starting. If she wasn't a Head Girl, Hermione would have decided to opt the dance lesson, but Dumbledore told her and Blaise that they had to attend as the Heads. The sixth years and seventh years all started to fill in to the large hall. Chatter filled the room as students settled in. A tall slim lady and a strong, lean man took their place at the center of the room. Clapping her hands, the lady attempted to catch the students attention.

"Alright everyone, please gather around." She said with a firm but friendly voice as the students moved closer to the two. "I am Madame Bunch and this is Sir Liam. Your headmaster has asked us to teach you all a simple version of the elegant waltz. So ladies, follow me to this side; and gentlemen, please follow my partner to the other side. Once we teach you the basics separately, then you will practice with a partner. Now, off we go."

She led the girls to one side of the hall and began teaching the basic steps of the dance. On the other side, the guys were doing the same, but most were having a harder time to pick up the steps than the ladies were. After a while practicing on their own with their respective teacher, the instructors believed they were ready to partner up. Madame Bunch first ordered the ladies to spread out evenly into a huge circle. After they were in a circle, she then had the gentlemen go and find a partner.

Hermione was already fed up this class wishing it to be over soon. She lowered her head and growned audibly as a pair of feet popped in front of her taking her by surprise.

"I hope that isn't because I'm here. I hope you are alright with me as your partner." A deep voice spoke to her.

She looked up and saw Micheal Travis smiling down at her.

"Micheal! No, I just don't understand the reason we are doing this." She said quickly. "Yes, of course. I apologize in advance if I step on your feet. I'm not that great at dancing." She said smiling back glad it was someone she knew.

"No worries. I'm a beginner at this too. I'm sure you aren't as bad as you think you are." He grinned and offered his hand. She placed her hand in his as he set his other hand on her back. They stood in position as the teachers went around correcting the postures of the students. When Madame Bunch approached them, she pushed them closer to each other. Unable to look Micheal in the eye, Hermione adverted her gaze and felt her body temperature rise as she again hoped for class to end soon.

Several pairs of eyes trained their gaze on Hermione and Micheal all with feelings of jealously whether they knew it or not. Before any of them could do anything, the teachers started the music signaling the students to dance.

Micheal led Hermione as she followed trying hard not to step on his feet.

"Relax." He chuckled. She glanced up and laughed as they continued to dance to the music. She started to get the hang of it and really want as bad as she thought. She did dance at the Yule Ball with Victor, but she couldn't remember all the steps. At the end of the verse, the teachers told them to change partners. Micheal removed his hand from Hermione's back and lifted Hermione's hand with the other and kisses her knuckles.

"It was fun. Can't wait for the ball." He said.

"Remember, I'm still Head Girl." She joked at him. He laughed and nodded as he went off to find another partner. As soon as he left, someone grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hi, Hermione. I'm your next partner. If that's alright with you." He said nervously even though he rushed over as soon as the music ended.

"Of course it is. I feel more comfortable around you over everyone else." She grinned at him making his heart beat faster. He hesitantly lifted his other hand to place his left hand on her back; and as soon as he did, he breathed out a breath he didn't notice he was holding. The teachers made their rounds again adjusting the postures of the students. Sir Liam stopped by the two and adjusted Harry's hand on Hermione's back and pushed the two a bit closer. Hermione grumbled at the teachers' need for perfection as Harry gulped at the position they were in.

 _This is not a big deal. We have hugged before. How does this make it any different?_ Harry thought to himself.

He looked down at his best friend and smiled affectionately with his new found feelings for her. Misinterpreting his feelings, Hermione smiled back amicably at her green-eyes friend. The music resumed at they began to dance.

"You aren't such a bad dancer, Harry." Hermione said surprised.

"Well, we did practice for the Yule Ball." He said matter-of-factly and grinned.

"Yes, well I didn't expect you to be doing this well." She complimented and grinned back.

They continued to chat and tease one another as they danced enjoying their time together. At the end of the dance when the music paused, Harry hugged her out of nowhere and whispered under his breath that only he could hear. "I love you."

"What? Harry?" She said muffled as her face was pressed into his chest. He let go of her and smiled. The teachers called for another shift in partners.

"Time to go." He said grinning as he quickly left leaving her perturbed. She stared at her friend's back as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

...

Ginny was standing in her position as a seventh year stood in front of her. Her eyes were glued to Harry when he left her and dashed over in a certain direction. Her heart fell as she saw the person he stood in front of, Hermione. Seeing the way he looked at her and hugged her in the end, Ginny's heart clenched painfully as she tried not to make her emotions show.

Only a few feet away from Ginny, Blaise also looked at the two with a painful heart. And as his partner at that moment, Scarlet followed his gaze and saw who he was gazing at. Before looking, she could already guess it was directed at Hermione. She looked down and away from his face as she sighed sadly.

A few partners down, Draco watched the two best friends smiling and laughing with irritation. His feet automatically stomped over to the Gryffindor Head Girl as the teacher ordered for another partner change. Before he could stop himself, everyone was partnered up leaving him no option but to stay in front of Hermione.

"Malfoy? I didn't expect you to show up. I figured you didn't like going to these things." She said astonished. "Are you better? Can you dance?" She asked him referring to his injured hip and leg a few days ago.

"Obviously." He replied briefly as he made evident not to look at her while frustrated at himself for being in this position.

"That's good." She said out loud looking genuinely relieved.

They just stood there as Draco made no movement to take her hand. The teachers went around again to check on the students. Madame Bunch approached them and took Hermione's hand and put it in Draco's. She then pushed the two close and set Draco's other hand on her back as she muttered something like she wasn't getting paid enough.

"Try not to mess up, Granger." He sneered.

"I won't." She retorted back annoyed with his behavior. _He should at least be a bit friendly... I thought we became friends... what's wrong with him?_ She thought frowning. The music started as Draco gracefully guided Hermione across the floor while she kept up perfectly. Opposite to his behavior, he supported her gently as they danced to the music. Hermione took notice of it and glanced up at him. Coincidentally, he looked down and their eyes met. They both kept their gaze as they danced while Hermione tried to read him. Trying to break his locked gaze, Draco couldn't stop looking into her honey colored warm eyes.

 _His words do not match his actions_. She thought as she also recalled back to the times he helped her this year, but ultimately frowned when she remembered how he snarled at her just now.

Draco caught her frown when he finally snapped out of his trance. _She was giggling and smiling earlier with the others. Of course with me, she frowns...wait..why should it bother me?..._ Draco thought to himself as he also frowned matching hers. The music ended and Draco released his grasp immediately and stormed off before she could say anything.

"Alright class, that is all. You all did a phenomenal job. Give yourself a round of applause." The students clapped along with the teachers and the class was released. Students rushed out of the Hall as soon as they could. As Hermione started to make her way over to her Gryffindor friends, someone grabbed at her arm and spun her around.

"Hermione." Blaise started as he grabbed both her arms and peered intently into her eyes. "Please listen to me."

"Blaise. What's wrong?" Hermione asked sensing some sort of problem. She steeled herself as she looked into his eyes. Over the few weeks, she has gotten better at not being affected by him as much as before.

"The night of the ball. Promise me you will meet me at the Fountain of Serah before the chimes at midnight." Blaise said determined.

"What?! Why? Is there something wrong? You can tell me." Hermione questioned him.

"Please. Just promise me." He said not answering her questions.

"Alright." She said nodding as she believed he wouldn't stop unless she agreed. She also determined that Slytherins are very confusing especially today. Blaise smiled, loosen his grasp on her arms and hugged her tight not caring about the other people in the room. He then released her, bid her goodbye, and left the room leaving the remaining occupants in the room befuddled. Hermione stood there trying to calm her heart that quicken from the sudden embrace which took her by surprise and weakened her resolve.

 _That didn't mean anything._ She convinced herself _. Don't overthink it. He has a fiancée. FIANCÉE. It doesn't mean anything._ She repeated to herself with a frown.

* * *

 **A/n: Welp, here's another chapter. I hope you guys liked it. I hope you don't think I'm dragging it too long, but it's necessary. 😭 Review if you can. All you readers are awesome especially if you have read all the way up to this chapter! I hope you stay to the end.**

 **I am now very deprived of soft drinks. I feel when I smell one I will cave. Good thing no one drinks any at my household or I would have gave in already. (Recap: New Years resolution: no soft drinks.)**

 **My favorite place on Earth other than where my family is: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando! I seriously become a small child when I'm there and squeal with glee! Rode all the rides and loved them all, but if I were to choose a favorite: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey! Haven't tried Three Broomsticks because they are always packed. 😬😬**

 **Lastly, One Punnch! 👊 Cheers! Have a great day!**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	11. Chapter 11: Rest and Preparation

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot. Haha

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Chapter 11: Rest and Preparation

At last, the finals were over; and the students had one free day before the masquerade ball. Many went over to Hogsmeade for last minute shopping for either the ball or winter break. Hermione was at the library returning the last few books she had borrowed a week before. She headed out the door but as she rounded the corner, she was suddenly greeted by Blade. He flapped his wings in front of her and hooted a greeting before he settled down on her shoulder.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She smiled at the young owl as she scratched his head affectionately. Blade cooed back appreciatively as he closed his eyes enjoying the sensation. Appearing from the same direction Blade came from was Draco, he followed Blade swiftly when the young bird suddenly glided past him and flew out of sight. Surprised at seeing Hermione there, his eyes widen.

"Granger." He said. Hermione stopped petting Blade and turned to Draco.

"Malfoy." She said equally surprised.

She hadn't seen Draco since the dance lesson, but for some reason she couldn't take her mind off of how they danced together.

"Are you heading outside?" She asked taking note of the broomstick in his hand.

He nodded and signaled for Blade to follow him. The dark owl didn't want to listen. He stayed perched on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione laughed at the owl and lifted her hand near her shoulder. The owl moved to her hand and looked at her curiously. She spoke to the owl. "Be a good boy and listen to Malfoy." She said smiling. Blade hooted and flapped his wings as he flew over to Draco's head and settled there comfortably.

Draco frowned at the owl's choice of rest. Hermione tried to stifle her laughter, but bursted out laughing at the sight in front of her. No matter how many times she's seen Blade on Draco's head, she just couldn't get used to it. She glanced over at Draco who was now frowning at her. Seeing his frown direct towards her, she lifted her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter, but it wasn't working or stopping anytime soon.

Watching the Gryffindor girl laugh in front of him was something he never thought he would see, he didn't like the fact that she was laughing at him and tried to glare more viciously at her to stop. Her laughter was starting to affect him as his frown slowly turned into a smile. If he thought about it, it would look silly if a bird was on someone's head.

Hermione wiped at her eyes as tears from laughing too hard appeared. She looked over at Draco to see if he was still frowning, but instead she saw a never before seen smile etched across the handsome blonde's face. Like she's said before, the smile suited his face more than his usual frown.

"You should smile more." She blurted out before she could stop herself.

Taking in her comment, he quickly retracted his smile and his frown appeared in its usual place.

"No one asked you." He said before turning and walking away. He started to head out to the entrance of the castle as Blade looked back at Hermione. Blade flapped his wings and flew towards her as he pulled at her sleeve. Draco noticed the bird's absence and turned to see what it was doing.

"You want me to come too?" She asked the owl that was stretching her sleeve. The owl let go of her sleeve and hooted with affirmation. Blade flew behind her and nudged her shoulder forward with his head. She laughed at the bird and thought to herself. Seeing as finals were done and she didnt have much to do, she agreed and nodded to the bird.

"Alright then, lead the way." She said as Blade hooted and flew towards his owner. Draco frowned at the young owl.

"What did you invite her for? She doesn't fly...She can watch, but that's it. You understand?" He questioned the owl not really expecting an answer back. Hermione caught up with the two as they made their way out of the castle.

Once they reached outside, Draco mounted his broom without a word and took off into the sky expecting Blade to follow. He was several feet in the air and noticed the dark owl wasn't speeding next to him as usual. Draco stopped and hovered in the air and looked around for the owl. He heard a hoot below him and saw the owl was still next to Hermione. He scowled, ignored the owl, and turned to fly again. This time, the hoot from Blade was louder. Draco leaned down to get ready to zoom off again when suddenly Blade appeared in front of him. The blonde boy scowled again and veered left, but the owl blocked him again. He tried several other different directions, but the owl stubbornly stayed in front of him and blocked him.

"Argh! What do you want?!" Draco exclaimed frustrated. Blade owl-smirked and motioned down towards Hermione who whipped out a book out of nowhere and was now reading it.

"No." Draco stubbornly glared at his owl. He tried to maneuver around Blade and fly m away, but was blocked by the skilled young owl yet again. Blade hooted and motioned towards Hermione again. This continued until Draco gave up and slowly made his way down to the Gryffindor. He hovered next to her and spoke.

"Hey, Blade wants you to fly along." He didn't look at her and said with distain.

Surprised from the appearance of Draco, Hermione looked up and dropped the book she was holding.

"I'm quite fine down here." She said not wanting to take part in flying. She bent down to pick up her book and heard a flutter of wings.

Blade flew next to her and hooted as if asking her to do it. Unable to say "no" to the owl, she eventually gave in. She mounted the broomstick and positioned herself behind Draco.

"You better not fall off." He said to her not turning around. Remembering that he doesn't like people touching him, she grabbed onto the broomstick firmly behind Draco. He lifted the handle and the broomstick began to rise with Blade flying next to him now elated that everything went his way.

Blade then accelerated and zoomed towards one of the castle towers he knew Charcoal would be on. Draco quickened his speed, but skillfully maneuvered the broom so the passenger behind him would not fall off. They arrived at the tower where both young owls were now perched on enjoying and finishing Charcoal's recent kill.

"Charcoal. So this is where you have been." Hermione looked at her familiar with a strained smile as she continued to grip on the broom trying to not look down.

Hearing her voice, her familiar looked up and hooted with delight. He was excited to see his owner in the air with them. Charcoal finished his last mouthful and darted into the sky wanting to fly alongside his owner for the first time as Blade followed closely right behind him. Draco looked up and noticed the behavior of the owls.

"You better grab on tighter. They want to race." He said simply to Hermione.

"What! No, you can just set me down. I'm good with this much flying. That'll do. " She said frantically trying not to looking down.

"No. Blade is adamant about you flying with me. I've tried already. Believe me." He said stubbornly.

"I can't hold any tighter." She said afraid gripping the broomstick as tight as she could.

Groaning, Draco muttered something under his breath as he roughly snatched her hands from the broomstick and placed it around his waist.

"Hold on." He said quickly not looking back.

Before she could pull her hands back, the two of them zoomed into the air in lighting speed. Frightened and shocked by the sudden burst of speed, Hermione lurched forward and tightened her arms around Draco tighter and closed her eyes tight as her cheek pressed against his back. Draco zoomed towards the owls and quickly gained speed as he approached them. Feeling the usual thrill from flying, a grin was plastered on his face. After a while, the owls veered towards the lake and slowed down as Draco followed suit. Charcoal hooted to Hermione who was holding on for dear life.

"Granger." He called for her not looking back. With her arms tight around Draco and her eyes shut, Hermione did not respond. Draco finally turned his head towards her and tapped her shoulder.

"Granger. They want to show you something." He said with a grin unknowingly still on his face.

Hearing Draco call her, she slowly opened her eyes and gasped at the sight before her. They were floating above the Black Lake facing the majestic Hogwarts castle.

"It's beautiful." She said to no one in particular. Draco silently agreed as he looked at the castle and back at her.

"Thank you." Turning to the owls, she thanked the owls then glanced at Draco.

She smiled and thanked him as well; soon after, he looked at her and grinned back. He felt a comfortable warmth on his back and waist where Hermione made contact. Seeing a rare grin on his handsome face, she felt her cheeks heat up and quickly glanced away. Embarrassed, she unconsciously released her grip around him and started to pull her hands back.

Suddenly feeling the unwelcoming cold in place of Hermione's heat, Draco swiftly grabbed one of her hands pulling her closer. Shocked, Hermione looked back at him with widened eyes. He glanced down at Hermione and her still reddened cheeks. Taking in the attractive Gryffindor in front him, Draco stared mystified into her beautiful golden brown eyes. The deep pools of warm honey caught his gaze as he continued to look into them. His eyes finally traveled down to her alluring and kissable lips. He was captivated by them as he desired to capture her lips with his. As if in a trance, Draco slowly and ever so slightly tilted his head towards hers. He inched closer to her lessening the distance between them.

"Hoot. Hoot." He suddenly heard a hoot from one of the owls.

Snapping out of it, Draco quickly retracted his head back shocked at his urges. Glancing down at his hand with hers, he hastily let go and withdrew his hand as if it burned and turned away from her.

Reflecting on what just happened, his frown was again upon his face. Making sure not to looking back, he cursed under his breath as he directed his broomstick towards the land.

Beyond stunned, Hermione tried to make sense of what just happened. Puzzled, she moved her hands and gripped on the broomstick behind Draco as she continued to ponder and stare at the Slytherin in front of her.

With the two owls flying beside them, they slowly made their way back to the castle. Draco steadied the broomstick and waited for Hermione to dismount. As soon as she dismounted, he took off into the sky without a word or a glance back. The owls fluttered around Hermione just as confused as the witch next to them. Staring up into the sky looking after Draco's figure, she furrowed her brows together with confusion.

 _Odd_. She thought to herself. Not thinking any further into it, she shook her head and turned to head into the castle smiling as she reminded herself of the beautiful view of the castle she just witnessed.

...

Flying up into the sky, Draco zoomed higher and higher to let out his mixed emotions of confusion, anger, and frustration. Safe from any unwanted ears, he screamed agitated and loudly into the blue sky. He rushed forward with no destination in mind as he clenched his teeth angrily and gripped the handle in front of him tightly.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with me?! I grabbed onto her hand!...I almost KISSED her! Bloody hell!" He shouted furiously at the vast sky. His mind flashed back to the moment he stared at the Gryffindor girl. He remembered her bewitching face. Her eyes... Her lips...

Shocked at his thoughts again, he shook his head as he flew dangerous stunts on the broomstick so he wouldn't have his mind on Hermione. After a few more, he then slowed his broomstick and hovered high in the clouds as he groaned and tousled his hair roughly in frustration. He leaned down again on his new broomstick and continued to zoom around furiously as if flying would help let out his frustration.

* * *

The day of the ball was here and only a few hours away. Practically everyone was excited and looking forward to it. After lunch, the Great Hall was closed off to everyone except for the teachers, Heads, and Prefects. The Heads and Prefects were in charge of planning and decorating the event. Knowing if she had some friends and extra people to help, the tasks would finish much quicker. Only two of her friends, Neville and Harry were available or willing to help.

The group were in the Great Hall preparing. Blaise headed off with a few Perfects in tow as he was in charge of the band and construction of the stage. Hermione delegated the tasks and gave the remaining people directions on what to do. With swishes of wands, the usual long tables were folded and moved against the wall. As if it was quick sand, the walls slowly swallowed the tables so the space for the Great Hall increased considerably. Other Prefects were conjuring up elegant stand up cocktail tables strategically throughout the big hall. Equally elegant regular height tables with chairs were also conjured up and around the hall. She walked around supervising the Prefects making sure everything was perfect. She saw Neville conjuring up the beverage table and nodded approvingly. Hermione walked over to Harry and saw he was having trouble with his task. He had to transfigure the regular floating candles in the ceiling into chandeliers.

"Need any help?" She asked as she walked up to him smiling.

"Let me try it again." He said as he pointed at the candle and moved his wand in the pattern she had showed him earlier, but the candle remained the same.

"Here. Let me show it to you again." She said as she pointed at another candle and waved her wand precisely and accurately in the right pattern as she said the incantation. The candle slowly transformed into the elegant chandelier the group had chosen for the event.

"Now you." She urged.

Harry tried again and this time the candle did change, but into a lantern. Frustrated, he took off his glasses with one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Try it again." Hermione instructed.

Harry pointed at the candle for the tenth time ready to wave his wand again. Surprising him, Hermione placed her hand on his as she moved closed to him. Harry tried hard not to notice his heartbeat quicken as he kept his eyes forward.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked oblivious to Harry's predicament.

"Y-yes." Harry managed out as he gulped forcing himself to look forward. With her hand above his, she waved the wand in the correct pattern as he said the incantation. The stubborn candle finally transformed into the beautiful chandelier.

"See. You got it." Smiling, she looked back at Harry. Looking at her and down at their hands still touching, Harry's cheek reddened and smiled back. Influenced by his reaction, Hermione also glanced down to where he looked and was now aware she still had her hand on his as she mirrored his reaction. She quickly retracted her hand from his.

"Sorry, Harry. I have to go check on the others." After clearing her throat, she said quickly not comprehending why she was trying to leave.

"Yeah. Go ahead." Harry said just as fast as he turned back to the candles in front of him.

The rest of the preparation continued without a hitch. Everyone was heading to their dorms to prepare themselves for the ball. Harry, Neville, and all the Prefects also left the Great Hall leaving Blaise and Hermione behind to check for any loose ends. As they finished their last minute checks, Hermione bid Blaise goodbye and started to head out the side door of the Hall to the stairs. She opened the door to leave, but a hand stopped her from opening it any further.

"Don't forget tonight, Hermione. Fountain. Before Midnight. I will be waiting." Blaise gently whispered into her ear as his breath tickled her cheek and her face slowly began to heat up. He then released his pressure on the door and opened it for her. She nodded and left him behind as she headed up to their shared dorm.

Back in her room, she brought out the dress and mask she was going to wear and placed them on her bed. She took a shower and put on a sweater and pair of pants as she dried her hair with her towel. Hermione placed her towel back on the towel rack then pointed her wand on her hair with an instant dry spell. Her hair changed from semi-damp to blow-dried with soft waves as they cascaded down her neck. Ginny had offered to help her with her hair and makeup, but Hermione denied her offer knowing the redhead would be busy already helping her other dorm mates with their makeup and hair.

Sitting in front of her mirror, Hermione pointed her wand at her face as subtle and natural makeup appeared on her face complimenting her features pleasantly. Smiling and nodding in approval, she proceeded to point at her hair as it instantly lifted and folded itself until she had a sleek up-do with a dramatic side parting. She also changed her hair color back to the dark brown and a streak of silver in the bangs she tried before in the dressing room. She grinned at her hair's change of color liking it even more now than the first time. The hairdo complimented her features even more drawing attention to her eyes more. She then moved to put on her dress and it astonished her greater than the first time as she admired the dress and herself in the mirror.

Hermione walked to her jewelry box that housed a few pieces of jewelry she brought to school. She looked at them and stopped over the owl necklace Blaise bought her. Ever since finding out about Scarlet, she hadn't touched it since.

Hermione shook her head and continued to search for the jewelry she had in mind and finally found it. It was a matching silver necklace, earrings and bracelet set with a blue butterfly charm on them. She had her mom send it over after Scarlet purchased the dress and mask for her. Using the mirror, she put on the pieces of jewelry and stood back as she smiled at how the jewelry and the dress paired up nicely. She quickly put on her dark blue heels she also had her mom send over completing her look. After, she lifted her beautiful butterfly mask gently and closed her door behind her. Hermione began to head out to the common room.

Blaise was crossing the common room as he started to make his way to the door. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around. His eyes widen as he was rendered speechless and motionless. The Hermione in front of him was even more gorgeous and exquisite than she already was. He just stood there mesmerized as Hermione smiled awkwardly and rubbed her arm nervously. She felt a little self conscious under his stare. She was afraid she went overboard. Hermione hadn't planned on dressing up this much.

"Breathtaking." He said with a whisper as he finally gained control of his speech.

"Is it okay?" Hermione asked with uncertainty. It was clear she didn't hear his comment.

"You look beautiful." He said as he showed her an affectionate smile.

She blushed at his compliment. "Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself." She said smiling back at him.

Blaise was wearing an black tuxedo suit with a white dress shirt underneath. He also completed his tuxedo with a blazer and necktie. It looked as if it was tailored to fit his fit and god like body only. Before heading out the door, they put on their respective masks. Blaise had a black mask with some intricate decorations on it, but it wasn't too showy.

They separated ways as Hermione headed back down to the Great Hall and Blaise towards the Ravenclaw tower. Micheal agreed to meet her at the beverage table before the dance because she wanted to make sure all the details were perfect instead of waiting out in a room somewhere. Yesterday, they described to each other what they were wearing so they would be able to figure it out and find each other better.

* * *

The Great Hall was open and several students were already there enjoying the live band and admiring the decorations. It did not even look like the Great Hall it was a few hours ago. Elegant tables were spread throughout the hall as the chandeliers shone brightly creating an classy ambiance to the hall. The stage for the live band was also amazing. Gone were the teacher's table, the stage was perfect for the professional musicians to play on.

She walked over to the beverage table and glanced around for Micheal, but didn't see him. Hermione decided to wait around the table for him. Thirsty, Hermione headed over to the drink bowl filled with pumpkin punch instead of the usual pumpkin juice. She picked up an new cup and walked over to the bowl. She moved to grab the handle of the ladle; then suddenly at the same time, another hand reached over for the ladle, but grasped hers instead.

Her eyes widen in surprise and began to glance up. She then heard a familiar male voice murmur.

"It's you."

* * *

 **A/N: Here ya go, people. Hope you like it! Sorry for another flying session if you guys don't like it and/or getting sick of it. Reviews are still welcome! Thank you to all who have made it so far. Tell me who you guys would like to see Hermione end up with. I would love to hear from you all.**

 **Resolution still going strong. Just for the heck of it, One Punnnchh!**

 **Cheers all,**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	12. Chapter 12: Strangely Familiar

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Ch. 12: Strangely Familiar

She moved to grab the handle of the ladle; then suddenly at the same time, another hand reached over for the ladle, but grasped hers instead.

Her eyes widen in surprise and began to glance up. She then heard a familiar male voice murmur.

"It's you."

* * *

Hermione inwardly gasped as she saw the handsome figure in front of her. He wore a dark, navy satin edged notch lapel tuxedo that didn't look cheap. He wore a plain white dress shirt with navy neck tie. The outfit suited the handsome stranger's figure very well like it was made for him as it quite possibly was. He wore a plain black mask which on him, it didn't seem very plain. His hair was a tan brown but for some odd reason, her eyes kept going back to his stromy grey eyes. She furrowed her brows as she felt she had seen them before.

 _Have I seen him before? I can't place him..._ Hermione thought to herself. She looked down at their touching hands and she couldn't help but blush.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" She said as she pulled her hand out from under his.

Interrupting his thoughts, he smirked at her. "I'm not sure, but I would like to get to know you. Nice to meet you." He held his hand out for a shake.

Trying to surpress her blush, she looked at him cautiously and hesitantly brought her hand up and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you...Um..." She said as she couldn't help but notice an electric spark when they shook hands and touched earlier. She also couldn't help but think this stranger was very familiar. When they retracted their hands, she felt a bit disappointed.

"You can call me Liam for now." He said to her as he thought of a relative's name.

"Oh, yes. That rule. You can call me Ava." Thinking of a random name, Hermione answered him.

"I-" He started to say.

"Oh, there you are!" A male voice spoke behind him. Hermione looked over and saw a guy in a white dress shirt, a royal blue colored vest, pant suit, and tie. His outfit completed with a matching royal blue mask. Hermione could tell immediately who it was. It was her date. She smiled at his grinning masked face.

When Micheal walked over to her, he whisphered into her ear. "You are Hermione, right?"

"Yes." She chuckled and whispered back to him about his decision on the color of his outfit. "And you are such a Raven."

"Through and through." He smiled and said outloud. "You look beautiful, by the way. Did you wait long?" He asked.

She thanked him as she blushed a little at the compliment. "No, I just got here. Oh, this is Liam by the way. Well, for now anyways. We just met." She spoke as she introduced her new friend to Micheal.

"Hey Liam, nice to meet you. I guess I will go by Max." Micheal extended his hand at 'Liam' for a handshake.

Micheal noticed 'Liam' glare at him and pointedly ignore his offer for a handshake. He frowned at the guy's action as he realized this new guy wasn't interested in anything he was saying as his focus stayed on Hermione. Hearing the band start a new song, he quickly changed the subject.

"Let's go dance." He said as he moved his outstretched hand and grabbed Hermione's hand. He started to pull her gently towards the dance floor.

"Oh! Alright." She said as she was surprised from Micheal's sudden change of topic. "I'll see you later, Liam. Nice to meet you." She dismissed herself as she started to walk toward the dance floor behind Micheal.

Micheal could feel daggers at the back of his head and he was certain he knew where they came from. He was very cautious with this new guy because he didn't seem very affable. As they arrived at the dance floor, he decided to have a nice time and ignore the guy. Spinning Hermione in front of him, they assumed positions and began to dance to the music.

* * *

"It's you." Draco murmured as he saw, once again, the mystery girl in front of him. He couldn't find her before no matter how hard he tried, but now she was right before him. And she was even more breathtaking than the first time he saw her. But unlike the first time, this time her eyes were not burning with fury and glaring at him. He stared into her warm honey colored eyes as he sensed a feeling of familiarity.

 _She seems so familiar. What is her name?_ He thought to himself.

Her voice disrupted his train of thought. Her voice was also strangely familiar and comforting. When he began to speak to her, he frowned when he heard a male voice behind him. His insides burned with rage as he saw them, what seemed to him, whisper to each other intimately.

 _Of course, she would have a date. Seems like they are close._ He thought with a growl.

When she was pulled away by her date to the dance floor, he had to fight his sudden urge to grab her hand and take her away with him. He looked on as they danced to the music and snarled as he made his way to a secluded corner of the Great Hall with a drink in his hand.

...

Ginny and Harry entered the ball as they looked around in awe at the amazing final decorations in the hall. Harry had on a simple and refine looking black tuxedo. He wore a burgundy color tie and mask to represent his house. Ginny looked amazing with her dress and simple but sleek black mask. Her hair was pulled up into an elegant ponytail that accentuated her neckline. She wore bare minimal make up as it suited her face splendidly. She was pleasantly surprised when Harry was actually stuttering when he complimented her. At least, she knows now he will see her more as a women not as a sister.

When they entered the ball, Harry looked around for someone.

"Do you know what Hermione's wearing?" Harry asked Ginny.

Her heart dropped when she heard him ask for her.

"No. Why?" She lied as she looked up at him with a sad expression. She felt that she had to, but felt disappointed in herself.

"Oh..I just wanted to praise her on a job well done." He quickly made up an excuse when he saw Ginny's expression. He realized he was being insensitive towards her. "I'll just find her after midnight then." He finished as he saw Ginny's sad expression change gradually.

She nodded and smiled softly at the handsome Gryffindor.

* * *

Draco stood in his corner sipping on his punch. He was in a foul mood as he look around the Great Hall. He tried to keep his mind off of the 'Ava' girl, but his eyes kept roaming back to her as she danced with her date. He wasn't one to break a couple up. He just wasn't like that, but for some reason he couldn't help but keep his eyes on her. He wanted to know her. Find out what kind of person she was. Find out her likes and dislikes...

He lowered his cup as he smirked when he saw her say something to her partner causing 'Max' to frown. After the song ended, she headed back to the beverage table as she stood silently at the table and glanced around the room. She looked like she was monitoring the dance.

 _She'a a prefect._ Draco thought to himself smiling as he believed he narrowed down the candidates of who she could be. His smile quickly disappeared as he noticed a boy walk up to her. He ignored the drinks and asked her something. She then shook her head refusing him so the boy turned around looking disappointed. Draco smirked at the retreating figure of the boy. The poor guy asked her to dance and she rejected him. He chuckled under his breath. Several others followed the first guy and the answer was all the same. Draco frowned at the number of people asking her to dance, but smiled at their dejected faces.

Draco lifted his cup to his lips to take another swig at his drink until he heard a female voice. He froze as he glanced at the girl next to him. She repeated what she said.

"Draco Malfoy." She said. "You are Draco, aren't you?" She asked him. It was someone from his stupid freaking fan club. He tried to ignore her as he glanced back at the beverage table.

 _Bugger. She's gone_. He thought.

"I know it's you, Draco. You have this cute, tiny mole in the back of your neck near your left ear. Changing your hair color won't help you." She said with a smile.

Hearing her specific description of him, he felt very perturbed and disgusted. "I'm not whoever you think I am. Now scram." He scowled about his failure to be unrecognized and the annoying girl.

"Ah! You sound exactly like him! You are definitely him!" She screamed in delight.

Before she could say anymore, Draco quickly maneuvers around her and briskly walked away hoping she wasn't following him. Spotting the side doors opened out to the gardens, he decided to work his way out to the gardens.

The Prefects and Heads collaborated with Professor Sprout and Mr. Filch to add the gardens to the theme. The bushes were professional trimmed and maintained. Several long benches were placed throughout for people to relax and enjoy on. Placed in the middle of the gardens was the centerpiece: the Fountain of Serah. The fountain was charmed to spout water out in pattern of the music. If no music were played, it acted naturally as a normal fountain.

He quickly arrived to the middle of the garden grounds where the fountain lay. Looking around for the crazed fan girl, he sighed in relief when he didn't see any sign of her so then he chose a nearby bench to rest on. He leaned back and lifted his arms up on the bench as he lifted his head towards the sky. He took in the starry night and sighed to himself. The main reason he changed his hair color was so his stupid unwanted fan girls would not recognize him, but they were even crazier than he expected.

"What the hell am I doing? Why the hell am I here?" He muttered to himself referring to the masquerade ball.

"I don't even know her real name. Was I this shallow? I'm just like those other gits who asked her to dance." He said to himself. Even with these thoughts, he continued to see 'Ava's' smiling masked face in his head and so he slowly began to smile to himself.

...

Hermione looked around the gardens for any misbehavior as she was scheduled to. After the dance with Micheal, she apologized to him because she had to go monitor the ball grounds. He seemed very disappointed, but understood as she excused herself. She felt bad leaving him alone, but she warned him. If she had time, she was going to find him later. Finishing her patrol to the edge of the gardens, she made her way back as she realized she was nearing the fountain as she heard the rushing of water. Approaching the fountain, she stood to admire its beauty. It wasn't too grand but it was magical nonetheless. She watched the fountain's water dance rhythmically to the music coming from the Great Hall. Hermione beamed at the fountain feeling proud of their work in the last few hours. Feeling the soreness on her ankle, she looked around her for a seat and chose a bench nearby to sit on. Sitting down, she reached down to massage her ankle. She now regretted her decision to wear the heels as she continued to massage her ankle. Remembering a spell, Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered the incantation as sheinstantly felt relief on her feet. Sighing in delight, she tucked her wand back to where she hid it before. She sat back on the bench admiring the fountain for a brief rest as she enjoyed the quiet and calm that surrounded her.

...

Draco brought his hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose under the annoying mask. He readjusted the mask on his face as he brought his head back down with a frustrated groan.

"It was stupid to come here." He muttered to himself. From the corner of his eye, he saw her. It was the girl, 'Ava'.

"Merlin, don't screw with me." He said out loud. He looked at her as she sat at another bench a few feet away from him. A shiny reflection on the floor near her caught his eye as he noticed it was a bracelet. He immediately stood and made his way over to her as he bent down and picked up the silver bracelet carefully.

"I believe you dropped this." He said to her as he offered the bracelet to her.

Surprising her, Hermione jumped a little from the voice that suddenly spoke next to her. She looked up at saw the handsome 'Liam' again. Looking down at his hand, he had a silver bracelet that strangely looked like hers. She glanced at her wrist and saw it was missing.

"Oh, it must of fallen off. Thank you." She said as she started to reach for the bracelet.

"Let me." He said as he sat next to her and stretched out the bracelet.

"Thank you." She thanked him again as she slowly lifted her bare wrist towards him. He moved the bracelet under her wrist and brought it up on top as he focused to clip the ends of the bracelet together. She secretly glanced at him as she smiled at his focused expression and tried to picture who he was and where she had seen him before. Again, she felt some type of electrical sensation when his fingers grazed her wrist. When he finished connecting the bracelet, he looked up at her and their eyes made contact.

She seemed so familiar to him. He had seen those set of eyes before but couldn't place it. Then suddenly, his ears pricked when he heard someone call his real name. Hoping they were not near them, he listened carefully as his shoulders tensed. There it was again. He heard a closer, but still faint call of his name.

"Bloody hell." He muttered. He heard footsteps draw close. Draco quickly stood and instinctively pulled her up and pressed against him. He looked over his shoulder to check if the coast was clear. Draco turned his head away because he saw someone approach. It was the crazed fan girl.

 _Bloody hell. Not this girl again._ He thought with a grimace.

She walked by and slowed as she noticed there were people there. Seeing the pair in their position, she thought they needed some privacy and quietly walked away as she shyly apologized. She then continued her search as she ventured further into the gardens.

He sighed in relief audibly then he heard a muffled voice against his chest. Shocked when he realized that he had instinctly pulled her up against him, he quickly let go of her gently and mutter an apology as she backed up and fixed her dress.

"So, I'm guessing you are popular with the ladies?" She joked at him referring to the girl who ran by.

"No, not really." He smirked and denied her claim. "People don't really like to approach me. I guess you could say I have a cold personality." He said to her not knowing why he was sharing this information all the sudden.

"Oh, really? You seem perfectly fine to me." She said to him.

He chuckled as they comfortably and casually started to walk deeper into the gardens in the oppposite direction of the fan girl. They continued to talk to each other without asking for information about each other's identity. They chatted about classes, which they liked and which they didn't among other things.

"I'm going to take a wild guess that you love flying." On the topic of hobbies, she smirked and asked him as they continued to walk down the path.

"How did you know?" He laughed and confirmed her guess.

"Instinct." She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"What about you?" He asked.

"Not particularly fond of it. Although, I did ride a broomstick just recently." She admitted.

"Oh really? What did you ride? A Cleansweeper?" He asked intrigued as he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure. I think it was the newest one." She answered.

"What?! The Lighting Stream? Isn't it brilliant?" He expressed brightly and then started to describe the amazingness of the new broomstick excitedly as his face lit up like a child's.

She smiled at the way he spoke so passionately about the broomstick and listened quietly.

"Sorry, you don't like flying." Realizing he was the only one talking.

"No, it's fine. Your expression was very refreshing." She said smiling up to him.

They continued their stroll along the garden enjoying each other's company. Their conversation went on as they talked about their future plans after Hogwarts.

"So do you know what you want to do after school ends?" Hermione asked 'Liam' as they talked about graduating soon.

"I know what I don't want. I don't want to live off of my parents. I want to be able to open a business using my own capabilities instead of depending on my parents." He said to her. It was the first time he told someone about this. Having to keep his image, he didn't share his thoughts with his House mates. They would just laugh it off and ask why he would do such a thing when his parents have so much money and status already.

"That's great. I'm sure you will be able to work it out." She said praising his idea. He was pleasantly surprised at her positive reinforcement about his idea. They continued walking along the path as the lights above them glowed brightly along with their steps.

"What about you?" Draco asked her as they walked side by side.

"I've thought about it for a while. I haven't told anyone this. Afraid it might be ridiculous and impulsive, but I would love to travel for a year before I settle down on a job." She said excitedly.

"If you have your mind set on it, you should go for it. You don't want to regret it and think of "what ifs" if you decide not to." He commented.

She turned to him smiling widely as she grabbed his hands with both of hers. "My thoughts exactly. Thank you. That advice means a lot."

He looked at 'Ava's' smiling face as Granger's face suddenly appeared in place of the girl's in front of him. Startled, his eyes widen and he blinked rapidly as Granger's face disappeared and he saw the butterfly mask in front of him again. He inwardly frowned at himself.

 _Why is Granger's face popping up?_ He thought with confusion and annoyance.

Suddenly, the five minutes until Midnight warning signal rung throughout the building. Hearing the signal, Hermione remembered her promise to Blaise.

"I'm sorry. I have to go meet someone. I had a great time." She said as she released her hands feeling a bit disappointed that she had to leave.

She started to walk towards the direction of the fountain until Draco grabbed her wrist stopping her.

"When will I see you again?" He asked her hating himself for sounding so desperate.

She smiled. "We will see each other soon." She assured him.

He nodded and released his grasp. Remembering their time together just moments ago, he smiled as he watched her walk away. He felt that he behaved differently than normal today. The reason was definitely the mask. It allowed him to open up more. No one knew who he was and he didn't know anyone else. Like a clean slate, there was no prejudice about him and his family name. He was able to share things he would normally keep to himself.

'Ava' was a splendid girl. Not only was she stunning, she had a great personality. She was charming, insightful, and bright. Not wanting to lose sight of her again, he walked out the gardens towards the same way she went.

* * *

Waiting at the Fountain of Serah anxiously, Blaise stood by himself readying himself. He heard footsteps behind him as his heart quickened as the footsteps got closer.

"Blaise?" He heard her voice.

He turned around and saw her in her dazzling dress and mask. When she arrived in front of him, he suddenly out of nowhere hugged her tight as if she would slip out of his arms if he didn't.

"Blaise?" She asked shocked.

...

Draco walked out of the gardens as he looked around for 'Ava'. He spotted her back towards him and smiled as he continued his way towards her. He stopped in his tracks when he suddenly saw a guy hug her tight. He stood frozen in the spot taking in what was happening before him. Not wanting to see anymore, he angrily and forcefully tore his eyes away from the scene and walked away quietly without a word.

 **A/N: Sorry, I'm a day late! Nevertheless, I hope you all liked it. The next chapter will be juicier so my update might not be on time on the usual Monday morning. My apologies in advance.**

 **Reviews are still welcome! Good or Bad. I welcome all. I would love to hear from you guys for any advice or criticism. I'm always looking to improve! I would like to thank everyone who have read my story up until this point. You don't know how happy it makes me feel. I love that I can share my story with you all! Sorry for the long ramble.**

 **Also, any Tom Felton fans here? I saw that he visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando just recently. On Instagram, there is an adorable clip of his interaction with a young fan. It just melts my heart. You should go see it!**

 **Thank you again! Onneee Punnnnccchh!**

 **Cheers! Have a magical day!**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	13. Chapter 13: Midnight

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

 **Timeline: The war did not happen. All the evil, dark stuff didn't occur. The main characters are in their last years. The characters might be OOC. Ron and Hermione never liked each other.**

Ch. 13: Midnight

Hermione's heels click clacked on the pavement of the garden path as she made her way over to the fountain. She smiled to herself as she thought back to her conversation with 'Liam' just moments ago. His stormy grey eyes... Somehow, she had seen them before. Her mind flashbacked to a few days back when she rode Malfoy's broom. It was similar. His stormy grey eyes looked similar. She shook her head.

 _It can't be him. There is no way. Impossible._ She laughed at herself for even having the thought. She felt her stomach flutter as she recalled his handsome masked smile she saw several times throughout the night. Hermione was pleasantly surprised of how easy and comfortable it was to talk to him. There was never an awkward moment. Not to mention, his demeanor was very polite and charming. She felt a bit disappointed she had to cut their conversation short.

 _Maybe forced to come to this ball wasn't a bad thing after all._ She smiled to herself. Hoping whatever Blaise needs to tell her won't be long, she continued to walk on as her heels tapped on the pavement.

Arriving at the fountain, she sees Blaise's back turned to her. "Blaise?" She questioned to catch his attention.

Hearing her voice, Blaise turned and suddenly embraced her tight. The embrace was different from the ones she was used to from him. It felt urgent and desperate. That was the only way she could describe it. Befuddled, she called his name again. "Blaise?"

Blaise leaned out of the embrace as he grabbed her shoulders and looked at her face. He let out a deep breath and said. "Before you say anything, please listen. I know I shouldn't since I'm engaged, but I can't keep it in anymore. Ever since meeting you this summer, my life has changed. I couldn't wait to see you again every time we separated our ways. My heart and mind only have-" He said with passion filled eyes as he held her shoulders tightly but gently.

"Blaise, stop. Don't say anymore." Hermione interrupted his confession. She knew what he was planning to say. She was actually thankful that Blaise had a hold of her shoulders or she wouldn't be standing steady right now. Looking into her former crush's eyes, she felt sadness and turmoil for him. She didn't feel the butterflies or wonderful feeling she did before when he was around her. Instead, she felt as if she was rammed by a herd of hippogriffs. She didn't want to be someone's reason to break off an engagement especially when she didn't feel for him as strongly as he did for her. _This isn't happening. It shouldn't be happening._ She thought to herself as her eyes widened with fright.

"Hermione, please-" He began again.

"No, Blaise. This isn't right." She said shaking her head. "Don't say anything that you will regret. Don't do it."

"I don't regret it. I won't. I love-" He said firmly.

"No. Don't, please. If you do this, our friendship won't be the same. Nothing will be the same again. I don't want to risk that. There will never be a 'we' in the way you want. There is no chance. I'm sorry." She said shaking her head once more as she removed his hands off of her shoulders.

"You have a fiancée. We are best as friends." She turned her back to him not sure if she going to be able to stand much longer. Hermione tried to maintain control of her emotions willing herself not to break. She couldn't bear to look back at Blaise anymore when she saw the agony in his face when she pushed him away. Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself as she began to walk away. Then she felt Blaise's strong arms wrapped around her waist holding her tight.

"We can make this work. Please don't go." He pleaded.

"N-no, we can't do this. Let me go." When she heard his desperate plea, her voice started to break a little as she struggled under his arms. She said as she tried to pry his hands off of her. This was not like Blaise at all. She was starting to feel frightened as to what he might do next so she tried to reach for her wand. Unfortunately, his arms tightly rested over where she concealed it. Her fingers grazed the tip of her wand's stem.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands grabbed Blaise's arms and tore them off of her. She was pulled back with force behind a tall figure. She stumbled a little from the sudden jerk when Blaise was roughly pushed back away from her. All she could see now was her savior's back as she took in the scene in front of her.

"I believe she doesn't appreciate your advances." He said to Blaise. Hermione's eyes widen as she recognized his voice.

"'Liam.'" She whispered, but Blaise questioned him loudly. "Who do you think you are? This is none of your concern." Blaise marched forward as he tried to reach for Hermione.

Hermione instinctively flinched back. Both boys noticed her reaction. "It is my concern if you are pushing her to do something she doesn't want." 'Liam' said as shoved Blaise backwards. Hurt by her reaction, Blaise frowned in confusion. 'Liam's' shove brought his attention back to the guy in front of her.

"Listen here, mate. You do that one more time, you are going to regret it." He said taking his anger and heartbreak out on 'Liam'.

He turned to Hermione again as he looked at her sadly and said. "I'm sorry."

Silently, Hermione looked back at him with forlorn.

As Blaise kept his gaze on Hermione, a girl dressed in a familiar dress appeared and walked next to Blaise. Hermione could guess it was Scarlet.

"Here you are." Her familiar voice said to Blaise. She tried to wrap her arm around Blaise's, but he pushed her hand aside.

Blaise looked past the guy in front of him and spoke at Hermione. "I'm sorry, but I don't regret it. I will wait for you." He then turned ignoring Scarlet and walked off.

Without having to be there, Scarlet knew what had happened. Something she had hoped that wouldn't ever happen happened. She looked at the girl in the beautiful gown who was Hermione and smiled sadly at her. She turned her face away as she continued to brave a smile her pureblood upbringing taught her to do, but the pain and hurt she felt was overwhelming. As she began to walk away, she heard Hermione whisper an apology to her. She paused and shook her head silently and continued to walk back to the Great Hall. Hearing Hermione's apology was the last straw, it broke her resolve as she bit back a sob and her sad tears trickled down her cheek.

* * *

Hermione watched as Scarlet silently tread back to Great Hall. Looking down, she tried to process everything. _The night started out so well and now this. How did it get so bad? Will Blaise and I ever go back to what we had before?_ She started to stress out. Feeling her legs go weak, she struggled to a nearby bench and sat down. She rested her hands on her knees as she stared at the ground.

"What's going to happen now?" She whispered with worry as her voice started to tremble.

She numbly felt someone sit next to her. Looking up, she saw 'Liam' look down at her kindly. "If he really cherishes you as a friend, it will take time, but everything will be fine."

She turned to the fountain in front of them and nodded sadly as she reminisced the memorable times she and Blaise had since the summer. "I really hope so." She said quietly.

A loud chime rang throughout the Hall and gardens signaling the time for the mask reveal. Sitting next to her, Draco heard the chime ring in his ears. "Midnight." He said.

Hermione nodded silently as she continued to stare at the peaceful fountain. Through his peripheral view, he saw her reach her hands up behind her. He turned his gaze towards her and as if time slowed, he watched as she tugged on the silk ribbon tied neatly behind her head. The ribbons slowly cascaded down to her shoulders as she held the mask gently with one hand. She raised her other hand and carefully removed the delicate mask from her face. Placing it on her lap, she turned to him and said with a fragile smile. "Thank you for earlier. I'm Hermione-"

His mind stopped as he saw the girl in front of him. He was utterly shocked. "Granger." He muttered slowly. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The mystery girl was Granger... Then his mind started to run in several different directions. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought deeper. Everything that happened tonight ran through his mind. The feelings he felt towards her. As he talked to her. As he looked at her. When he saw her with other guys. Towards 'Ava'. Who is Granger?!... His mind was going a million miles an hour.

"Yeah, I guess you do know me. I'm sorry you had to see that earlier." She apologized weakly.

Unable to hear her, Draco rose from the bench and left without a word leaving Hermione there shocked and baffled. He was gone before she could call after him. She looked down at her lap at the beautiful artwork that was the mask. She ran her fingers over the intricate design.

"It was nice while it lasted...Thank you." She said to the mask still unable to comprehend 'Liam's' sudden silent departure. _Did I do something to offend him? Was it something I said?_ She thought with a frown. She spent some more time alone with her thoughts.

Remembering her duties as Head Girl, she then picked herself up the best she could and headed her way to the Great Hall.

Glancing around the Hall, she couldn't find Blaise or Scarlet anywhere. In addition, no sign of 'Liam' or anyone who could possibly be him was seen. The last hour passed by like a blur as she combed around the Hall for any violations with the remaining crowd of students. She remembered she met with her friends, but she had no recollection of the subject matters they spoke about. Her mind was occupied with Blaise, Scarlet, and 'Liam'.

Before she knew it she found herself back at her dorm, she didn't find any sign of Blaise when she returned. She felt a mixture of relief and worry for her absent friend. In her room, she slipped out of her dress quickly and readied herself for bed. She lifted her covers then she laid down. Hermione shut her eyes tight for a moment trying to force sleep to come over her. Exasperated from her failed attempt, she opened them wide with a huff as she gazed up into the ceiling. Her mind flashed over to the three faces that made a strong impact on her that night. Blaise's pained expression, Scarlet's sad smile, and 'Liam's' handsome and gentle smile. To stop her mind from wondering about them, she shook her head roughly as she shut her eyes again trying a second time to sleep her problems away.

...

Draco didn't know where his legs were taking him and didn't care. He just kept walking and walking to get away from everything. His legs carried him far through the castle until he found himself on the Covered Bridge overlooking the peacefully mountains that surrounded the Hogwarts castle.

"Shit." He snarled.

He slammed his fist against one of the many wooden posts as it groaned at the impact.

"What have I gotten myself into?" He muttered to himself. Blood trickled from his knuckles as he glanced out into the dark night. Paying no attention to the pain he caused to himself, his mind was occupied with the girl that tormented him to have so many foreign emotions. He remembered the way he genuinely enjoyed his time with her. How her laughter tickled his ears. Her smile that instinctively made him smile back. How he felt so comfortable around her. How he felt he could share anything with her.

"How did I not notice it was her? It was right in front of me!?" He huffed. "I exposed myself to her. I told her things I haven't told anyone before. How did I not restrain myself? I let my defenses down. How? To a bloody muggle born!..." He raged as he gripped his hands tight on the railings until they were white. During his fit of rage, he relaxed his grip when realized he called her a muggle born. His eyes widen as he dealt with his inner turmoil. Draco stared down into the dark abyss below him searching for answers. Answers that he could accept. Answers that would make sense to him.

Unable to find a reasonable explanation, he directed the blame of his actions onto others. "It was the mask. This stupid bloody mask. Stupid loony old fart made us wear this." Placing the blame on Dumbledore made him feel a bit better, but he knew it was not the elderly headmaster's doing. It was all him. Who else but himself. With his bloody hand, he roughly tore of the dark mask unveiled a troubled expression etched on his handsome features. The mask clenched tightly in his hand. As the wind blew softly, Draco stood at the bridge alone as the misty and cool moonlight shone down on him.

...

His heart ached painfully as he left the hall. He ditched his mask as soon as he heard the midnight mark no longer in the mood to go along with the festivities. He knew there were going to be repercussions, but he didn't expect it to feel so bad. Searching for fresh air, he found himself standing in front of the Great Lake. He closed his eyes as if trying to erase what happened, but no matter what he did he couldn't forget the image of her sadly looking back at him from his mind. It was now forged in his mind. He was the one who caused it. He caused her pain. He held his chest when he felt another painful stab at his heart.

Blaise heard the crunch of the snow behind him and so he turned suprised to see a mask free Scarlet looking back at him.

"Blaise, are you alright?" Scarlet managed to say. She tried her best to hide her emotions as she looked at her love's heartache for another. She stood a few feet away so he wouldn't see her less than perfect face she usually had.

"Scar, what are you doing here? It's freezing you should go back." He said as he grew concern for his childhood friend.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to make sure you were." She said to him calmly. A cold breeze swept by causing her to shiver a little.

Catching her slight shudder, he started to move towards her while removing his suit jacket. She noticed him coming closer as she tried to step back to keep the distance between them. But her dress and heels did not allow her to move as quickly as she hope to so he quickly closed the distance between them. He place his jacket around her shoulders gently and she immediately felt the warmth emitting from it as she welcomed it. She could smell hints of Blaise's natural scent and nice but subtle cologne off of the jacket as she smiled at his gesture. Her smile slowly went back to a sad one as she reminded herself that he didn't feel the same way as her. As a gentleman and a pureblood that he was, his upbringing taught him that type of mannerism. She knew. He would do that for anyone. That was how Blaise was. That was one of the reasons why she loves him.

Blaise smiled as he looked at Scarlet. Noticing her reddened eyes, he immediately grew concerned. "Scar, did someone hurt you?"

She shook her head at his question trying to stay strong. She felt heavyhearted that he didn't realize her feelings towards him. That he was the one who hurt her emotionally. She grew afraid as she was again, for the second time of the night, at her breaking point.

"Just tell me who and I will have his head." He said as searched her face for her answer.

She saw at how caring and serious he was being. Her hastily structured walls that were normally so strong broke down easily from his words. Her tears began to silently fall down her face. She turned her head away from him as she bit back her sobs that were threatening to spill. Scarlet couldn't be there anymore. Not when she was feeling so vulnerable like this. Not when his mind has another. She just couldn't bear to hear what deep down she knew he would say if she told him her hidden feelings. Another day, she decided. Just not today. She meant to comfort him of his pain, but now she understood it was just foolish. She was being foolish. Being in love just makes one foolish. And she couldn't help it.

She turned and silently walked back towards the castle leaving him there confused and unable to make reason of what happened.

* * *

"Mione. Mione. Hello?" Ron called at her waving his hands in her face.

"Sorry, Ron. I didn't have much sleep last night." Hermione said as she turned her attention from the window back to her friend. To others, it seemed she was admiring the scenic view as the Hogwarts Express zoomed fast towards King's Cross Station. She kept thinking of the events the night before.

"No worries. I was just asking what you were doing for Winter Break." He asked her as his eyes looked at her mischievously.

"Nothing much. Just a regular holiday with my family. Christmas dinner on Christmas. Normal stuff. How about you?"

"Well-" Ron began to say. He started to sniff at the air. "Snack trolley!" He said excitedly forgetting about what he was going to say. Harry and Neville chuckled at their friend's silliness as Ginny slapped her palm to her forehead. Hermione shook her head in disapproval.

Lo and behold, the trolley lady arrived at their door. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Harry took out a few golden Galleons and bought all the contents in the it. He pocketed the two Sickle and six Knuts he got back as change. He welcomed everyone to the huge stash of candy they now had in the carriage.

"You are the best, Harry!" Ron quickly opened a box of Chocolate Frogs and bit of one of its legs before it could hop away.

"Really, Harry. You shouldn't spoil Ron. He shouldn't be eating that much candy anyways. He just had a huge breakfast." She shook her head at her friends.

"It's only once in a while." Harry said as he watched his friend began open a third box of Chocolate Frog.

"Yarh, Hahmione. 'Is honly fronce a fr-iale. (Yeah, Hermione. It's only once a while.)" Ron said with his mouth full.

"Ron, how many times do I have to tell you. Don't talk with your mouth full." Hermione said as she leaned away from the hungry redhead, but laughed at her friend's goofiness.

The rest of the train ride consisted of pleasant conversations that helped her keep her mind off of the night before. Before they knew it, the train arrived at the station. They bade each other goodbyes and went their separate ways. Harry followed the Weasleys to their house in the Burrows. She saw Neville's gran waiting for him. When Hermione asked about Neville's parents. She was told that Neville's parents were out busy with work and would meet him at home so he went off with his gran.

Hermione headed for the barrier to the the Muggle Platform. As she made her way to the barrier, she caught Draco staring at her with an unreadable expression. He looked her mysteriously. She couldn't understand why. She nodded to him a greeting but he clicked his tongue and turned away. At that moment, her mind flashed to 'Liam's' masked face. _No way. Why do I keep thinking it could be him?_ She thought to herself.

Not paying it any mind, she continued her way to the barrier and with a running start she went through it. The bustling sounds of people running and walking to catch their trains entered her ears as she bounded for the exit to meet her beloved parents.

 **A/N: Welp, Here you go. Another chapter. Phew. Sorry for the delay. He finally knows! So, how was it? I hope you liked it! Read and Review if you can! I would love to hear from everyone.**

 **One more month until Live Action Beauty and the Beast. Can't wait! Who's with me?! *cricket chirps* No one?... alright... LOL**

 **Update on my soda resolution, I'm still going on strong! *peace sign* (Thanks for asking, potterhead0731) Edit** ONE PUNNNCCHHH! I forgot to add this. Thanks for reminding me. I'm glad it makes sense to you. (nbooklover)**

 **Thank you for the reviews so far everyone. I don't know if you know, but I have replied back to each of the ones I've gotten. So if you are interested, check out your PM box. Thank you again for taking out the time to review!**

 **Thanks a bundle to my silent readers also! I still love and appreciate you all!** **See you next week! Have a magical day!**

 **Cheers all,**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	14. Chapter 14: Slytherins and Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

Ch. 14 Slytherins and Diagon Alley

Sheem. Sheem.

A glistening golden snitch fluttered quickly and spastically around Draco's head as he eyed it lazily and snatched it roughly midair. It struggled under his fingers trying to break free. With his elbow leaning on a table and his head rested on his hand, Draco looked down at it unamused as he opened his fingers one by one slowly. The golden snitch took its chance and escaped from its prison and shot up swiftly into the air. It fluttered and shimmered around this time higher than earlier. Disinterested, Draco stared off into space as he sat in a large armchair in one of his family manor's many large parlor rooms.

It has only been a week since winter break began and Draco's mother was holding her usual winter get together with the other pureblood families. The fathers were in his father's preferred parlor room drinking whiskey and such while the mothers enjoyed their time outside in the large spacious garden having tea and biscuits. The children, his housemates were there in the same room as him. The boys sitting around Draco whilst the girls were across the room from them gossiping the latest.

"I don't understand why mother insists on these pointless get togethers. It's infuriating." Draco huffed as he sighted the snitch in front of him, but made no attempt to catch it.

"It's more for the parents." Theodore Nott said as he shrugged his shoulder. He was playing the fifth round of Wizarding Chess against Gregory Goyle and hasn't lost yet. Vincent Crabbe sat next to Goyle trying to help his friend, but was failing miserably.

Blaise sat on a nearby armchair and just simply nodded. He was watching his friends' game silently. Spending the past few days pondering what to do about his relationship with Hermione or what was left of it, he was stressed and exhausted. He had thought originally before the ball that maybe he would have a chance with her. Just maybe, but she obviously made clear she just wanted to stay friends. He wasn't sure if he wanted to just stay friends, so he needed some time to think things through. He wanted to respect her decision, but he wasn't sure if his heart would listen to his head.

Coming to his best friend's place provided him a break from all his current headaches. As he watched one of Nott's rook viciously attack Goyle's remaining knight, he felt that he had eyes on him. He looked across the room and caught Scarlet's gaze. She smiled at him which he returned as she turned her attention back to the girls in front of her with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Scarlet sat on one of the room's loveseat with Pansy Parkinson next to her. She sat quietly and listened to the gossip Pansy was currently spewing to the girls in front of her. Millicent Bulstrode and Tracey Davis were diligently listening and adding on to her gossip as Daphne Greengrass also like Scarlet listened quietly, but nodding every now and then. They had a spread of light snacks and tea set in the middle of the them on a coffee table.

Draco ignored everything around him, but he heard a part of the girl's conversation that caught his attention which he concentrated on without making it evident.

"Did you see the gorgeous dress that one girl had on during the ball?" Tracey asked the others.

"Which one?" Millicent inquired. She picked up a biscuit from one of the trays and ate it in a few bites.

"Of course the royal blue one that was paired with the gorgeous butterfly mask." Tracey answered.

"The girl who wore it grabbed a lot of attention. Especially from the male population. Did you see how many went up to her? Animals." Pansy added shaking her head. She took a sip of her tea.

"The slag was probably asking for it." Proud of her insult, Tracey casually laughed.

Hearing Tracey's last comment, Draco unconsciously clenched his hand tightly into a fist and muttered under his breath. "She rejected them."

"Hmm? Draco, did you say something?" Theodore asked him when he heard his friend mutter. He then turned back to his chess game when he didn't get any answer back.

Taking his focus off of Goyle's apparent fifth defeat, Blaise, being his best friend, noticed something was off with his blonde friend. Yeah, sometimes he becomes moody, but he doesn't stay that way for long when everyone's together. He guessed that maybe the girls were talking about something he didn't agree with so Blaise also began to listen in.

"Did you guys see who it was when she took off the mask? It was Granger!" Tracey asked.

"What?! She thought she could pull off? How can that mudblood even-" Pansy said snootily.

"Don't call her that!" An irritated voice shouted across the room along with a loud bam as he slammed his hand on the table loudly interrupted the girl's conversation. Draco stood from his seat and glared menacingly at the girls.

Everyone stopped everything they were doing and turned towards the angry blonde who shouted.

"Drakey, what are you talking about? Call Granger a mudblood? You've been calling her that for years." Pansy said. Recovering from the shock of his abrupt interruption, she slowly set her teacup and saucer down on the table in front of her.

"Just. Don't." He said slowly with an air of danger hanging on both words. He turned and left the parlor room leaving the remaining occupants stunned and speechless.

"What's wrong with calling her that?" Pansy asked looking around at her friends.

"If you are talking about Granger, she was pretty hot that night." Theodore said finally grasping the contents of the girls' conversation. "I wouldn't mind if I-"

"Theodore, this is the only warning you get. If you finish that sentence, you will regret it." Blaise said suddenly and threatenedly. He rose from his seat, excused himself, and went to follow Draco.

"What's his problem?" Theodore asked wondering out loud.

"Why are they defending Granger?" Tracey asked ignoring Theodore.

"Who knows? Since Blaise started to share a dorm with her, Blaise and Draco have been around her a lot this semester. Shouldn't be a surprise...Anyways, how did she even afford that dress?" Pansy continued with her earlier question before she was rudely interrupted.

"I bought for her and I thought it looked perfect on her. I would greatly appreciate it if you don't speak ill of her anymore." Scarlet said elegantly with poise. She also excused herself and went out the same way Draco and Blaise went.

The girls stared at her with unsettling eyes. "...She is way too nice. She makes Daphne look seem bad. No wonder she was sorted to the Ravens." Pansy said when Scarlet turned the corner. Daphne nodded as she lifted her tea cup to her lips.

...

Draco angrily stomped out of the room partially furious at himself about his outburst as well as his fellow House mates. The past few days he tried to push any thoughts of the Gryffindor lioness out of his head. He had his mind filled with her on the night of the ball and that was already way too much. The moment he arrived home he decided he would try to forget what happened that night and Hermione entirely. The key word was try. No matter how hard he wanted to forget it, his mind kept drifting back to the enjoyable time he had with her before he found out it was Hermione. When he pushed away that memory, he mind would drift to the time he almost kissed her above the lake.

For the nth time this break, Draco roughly ruffled his hair and angrily groaned out loud. Since the beginning of the break, his hair has been unkempt unlike his usual combed back style. His parents noticed his behavior being more sour and bitter so they questioned him. Well, more like his mother questioned him. Lucius just ordered him to get his act straight. Draco assured his parents he was perfectly fine, but every time he did comb his hair neatly, it was messed up within an hour so he gave up trying. This morning, he attempted his usual hair style since his mother insisted because guests were coming over, but now it was back to the wild, loose, and over the eye style he's had the past few days.

He marched outside towards the large shed that housed his many prized Quidditch equipments. As he made his way outside, his mother caught sight of him and gasped at his hair. She quickly thought of an interesting gossip topic to talk about so the other mothers wouldn't turn around and notice him. Amused, Draco smirked when he saw his mother and her horrified and surprised expression.

He rounded the corner to the shed. They called it a shed but it was more the size of a guest house. Inside were neatly displayed and well maintained Quidditch equipments including at least five Firebolts, two sets of the Quidditch balls, body paddings, and more. He glanced down at the clear case that usually carried his Golden Snitch. It was empty and bare as he remembered he had taken it to the parlor room. He cursed inwardly at forgetting to grab it before he left.

"Looking for this?" He heard a voice behind him and turned. Blaise was smirking and leaning against the door frame holding up the said Golden Snitch.

"Thanks, mate." Draco returned the smirk. Blaise knew him too well. Taking it from Blaise, he placed the Snitch back in its case. He moved to grab one of the many Firebolts. Because his mind was so occupied, he had forgotten his Lighting Stream at school which also adding on to his sour mood.

"What was that about?" Blaise asked him aware that his friend paused at the question.

"What was what?" Draco asked back as he moved again to grab his usual Firebolt.

"You defended Hermione." Blaise said spelling out for him.

"No... I'm just sick of Pansy insulting people and acting all high and mighty." Draco said as he turned away from Blaise and walked to a table where the broomstick cleaning supplies were held.

"She's been doing that all day and you chose when she was insult Hermione to stop her?" Blaise pushed on clearing knowing something was up. Draco didn't answer as his back was still turned to him. He dabbed a cloth with some wax and began to apply it on the handle. Knowing Draco best, he knew his friend wasn't going to say anymore. Blaise sighed.

"You may already know this, but I have feelings for her. For Hermione." Blaise said as he looked up the ceiling. Draco's hand paused for a second as he listened. "And it's not like all the other girls I have had flings with, I have serious feelings for her and I can't help it." Draco slowly moved his cloth over the wood. Blaise continued. "I can feel it's different because she's always on my mind even when I'm not thinking about her. I can spot her quickly in any size of crowd. Whenever we touch, I feel electric."

"What are you telling me for? I don't want to hear you being all sappy." Not wanting to hear anymore, Draco snapped at him not turning around as he dabbed his cloth roughly with some more wax and continued on another part of the broomstick.

Blaise shrugged unshaded by his friend as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "I finally told her at the ball, but she rejected me. Said it would be better if we were friends. I should have seen it coming. Finally, a girl that I genuinely like and I can't even have her." Blaise said with a sigh.

Draco stopped mid-waxing and turned to his friend. "Blaise, mate, I don't care about your casual flings, but I want to remind you that you have an obligation towards Scar. You are engaged to her, so ultimately she is the one you will have to be serious with." He looked to his dark haired friend as he folded the cloth carefully and set it aside.

"I know, but the past few days have had me thinking. I think I should call off the engagement. I don't think it's fair to her. To Scar." Blaise sighed again.

"If you are calling off the engagement just to have you a chance with Granger, then that's messed up." Draco raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"No, I wasn't thinking that." He shook his head and genuinely said. "I just feel Scarlet should have the opportunity to find someone she likes instead of locked down to one person. I want her to be able to find love. I don't want to deprive her of that. She's been homeschooled until recently and finally she has the opportunity to reach out.." Blaise shoved his hands into his pockets.

"If you are serious, mate. the only way you can break it off is if Scar agrees. Do you think she will?" Draco said as he crossed his arms.

"I know and I'm sure she will." Blaise said smiling solemnly.

...

Scarlet spotted Blaise standing at the doorway of the shed and walked over. She was about to say something but stopped when she heard: "...the past few days have had me thinking. I think I should call off the engagement." Dread filled her immediately. That was definitely Blaise's voice.

 _He wants to break off our engagement? He loves her that much?_ She thought sadly. She turned away quickly and started to head back inside the Malfoy Manor before anyone could spot her.

She knew she shouldn't have come here. It's only been a few days since her breakdown that night. She unconsciously started to wring her hands together. Since the dinner with her parents on the first day of break, they told her that they were going to Malfoy Manor for afternoon tea. There was no room for her to refute because they had told her the news as an order and not a choice.

 _I should have told father and mother I was unwell_. She thought to herself until she heard someone call her over before she entered the building. Hearing the voice call her, she froze and looked down at her hands. She quickly settled them beside herself.

"Scar!" He called again. Frowning inwardly, she slowly turned with her perfectly poised smile.

"Blaise. Did you need something?" She said trying to keep her smile from slipping.

"Draco and I are going on a fly. I saw you from the shed. Good thing I spotted you, right? Want to join?" He smirked with a broomstick in either hands.

The three always flew around in broomsticks every chance they had since they learned how to walk especially at the Malfoy Manor. No one was more of a Quidditch enthusiast than Draco, but Blaise and Scarlet were still tough competition for Draco when it came to flying. Scarlet could easily be on the Quidditch team for Ravenclaw, but no one knew of her skill at Hogwarts other than Blaise and Draco.

Seeing how eager Blaise seemed, she reluctantly reached her hand forward for one of the broomsticks. "I will need a change of clothes though." She said as she motioned towards her high quality chestnut brown wool long coat with a belt around her waist.

"No worries. We know. We'll wait for you at the shed." Blaise smiled to Scarlet and headed back towards the shed.

Scarlet watched him walk away as she looked at the broomstick in her hand and sighed. She smiled sadly and shook her head. She called for Miffy, one of the house elfs she was familiar with, and asked for a change of clothes. Since she was there more times than she could count, Mrs. Malfoy always had several sets of clothes put aside for her. Miffy was more than happy and came back as quickly as she had disappeared with a set of appropriate attire to fly in. Scarlet changed and met the boys outside the shed.

"She's here." Blaise announced.

"Ready to lose, Scar?" Draco joked.

"I'm ready to win." She said as she grew a bit excited to fly with her best friends again.

They all mounted their Firebolts and zoomed off into the sky. After flying ten laps in their usual flying course behind the Malfoy Manor, Scarlet won by a few feet with Draco and Blaise finishing the last laps and trailing behind her very close respectively.

"Damn it. Bloody hell, Scar. You were just lucky!" Draco smirked at his friend as they landed on the ground and dismounted. He laid down on the grass and stared up into the blue and cloudless sky. He felt much better than earlier as he concentrated on his sore arms instead of a certain girl.

"Keep telling yourself that." She said as she sat down next to him and set her broomstick near his. Although she was still depressed about what she overheard, she still liked the company of her best friends.

"Scar has always been a great flyer. If she were in Slytherin, she could take your place in the team." Blaise poked fun at his friend. Draco turned his head only and glared at the Italian. He grabbed a tuff of grass and tossed it him as Blaise feigned a scared expression. Scarlet giggled at her friends as they continued their comfortable bantering.

* * *

"Hermione, it's time for supper." Mrs. Granger called up to her daughter.

"I'll be down in a second, mum!" Hermione called down from her room upstairs as she went through her mail. An owl she recognized was the Weasley's family owl brought her an letter addressed from Harry.

 **Hermione,**

 **I hope you have a great break. It's sad that you aren't here with us, but it's nice that you are spending time with your parents. Mum and Dad are coming over soon. We will miss you. Ron and Ginny says 'Hi'. Everyone wishes you well.**

 **Best,**

 **Harry**

Ever since Harry and Ron became friends in their first year, the boys took turn spending the beginning of their winter break in each other's homes. This time was at the Burrows. Ron was a good friend, but Harry was the one who held a special place in her heart. Hermione smiled at her friend's consideration. She took out some pen and paper and began to write out a reply of thanks and similar content to Harry's letter. Harry had always been so considerate and caring ever since they knew each other. Hermione smiled as she signed her name at the bottom of the letter.

FLASHBACK

The train arrived at the station. Everyone made their way out of their cabin until Harry and Hermione were the last ones left in it. Harry was packing up the remaining sweets that weren't touched as Hermione helped beside him.

"Hermione, thanks. You don't have stay behind to help." Harry said as he placed a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans into his bag.

"Nonsense, it's faster this way." She said smiling as she picked up a sweet and handed it to him.

Harry nervously let out an breath of air and said. "Hermione."

"Hmm?" She said as she continued to clean up.

"What do you think of me?" Harry asked nervously.

"What's with this question all the sudden?" Hermione chuckled as she continued to pick up candy.

She mulled over his question seriously. _Even though there was that one time, I felt my heart skip a beat. I can't think of him any more than my best friend. He's been there from the start. If I were to trust someone with my life. It would be him. That. I am certain._

Hermione didn't see Harry's nervous expression, but she answered honestly. "You are one of my best friends, of course. If not, the best. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know what I would if I lost you as a friend." She finally looked up and smiled to Harry.

Harry looked down at the candies on the floor with a strained smile. She didn't feel the same way he did, but he felt happy that he was such an important person to her, he smiled back warmly. "Me too." He said. Hermione hugged him and he hugged her back tightly. They then continued and finished collecting the candies and left the cabin.

END FLASHBACK

She folded the letter and sealed it as she opened Charcoal's cage. Charcoal flew to the window and hooted at her. She scratched the owl's head as he hooted it appreciatively. She spread out some snacks and water for her winged familiar. When he was finished, she handed the letter to him as he took it with one of his feet.

"Take this to Harry at the Burrows, please." Hermione asked him.

Charcoal who had flew all over London the past few days knew the area well. He nodded and hooted to his owner and spread his wings and soared into the sky. Hermione watched from the window as her owl's black body became a small black dot then to nothing as he flew away. She left the window open in case he came back and headed downstairs for supper.

* * *

"Mum, Dad, I'm headed out to Diagon Alley. Do you need anything while I'm out?" Hermione called to her parents. She wanted to see if she could find anything Christmas gifts for her friends.

"If you could bring back some milk, that would be great." Her mother called from the kitchen.

"Just be safe, dear. Do you have the pepper spray I bought you last year?" Her father asked her from the living room.

"Yes, Dad. It's in my purse." Hermione said as she patted her purse.

"Alright, see you later." Mr. Granger said.

"Bye, Dad." She said as she went up to him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Bye, Mum." She called out to the kitchen and left the house. She hauled a taxi and told him to drive to Charing Cross Road where the Leaky Cauldron was.

...

"Come, Draco." His mother ordered him to follow her as she put on her outer coat.

"Where, may I ask, we are going?" Draco asked lazily. He dragged his foot after his mother.

"We are going to Gringotts. I need to take out something from the safe. Make yourself look more presentable." She said as she stared pointedly at her son.

Draco groaned and huffed as he went to a nearby bathroom and tidied himself up. Although his hair wasn't gelled back, it wasn't hanging over his eyes and unkempt as it was when he ruffled his hair in frustration. Meeting his mother back at where she was, she looked up and down him and sighed. "That'll do."

She entered the fire place and shouted clearly: "Diagon Alley" She threw the floo powder down, thus green flames formed and engulfed her as she disappeared. Draco followed her example. Arriving at the other side, he coughed and brushed off the soot and saw his mother already heading for the exit. He went to follow her.

Outside, she turned to him and said. "I'm will be going to Gringotts alone. It will be at most one hour so go take a look around. You need it. I don't want you stuck in the manor all day." She said as she turned and walked away leaving Draco rooted to the ground. He cursed a few unmentionable phrases. His mother tricked him into coming outside...

Coming to his senses, he walked to the main street of Diagon Alley and headed to the only shop he was interested in. The Quidditch shop. As he walked along the crowded street, he saw, a few feet in front of him, was the girl who haunted his thoughts. He rubbed his eyes roughly and looked in front again. It was clearly her.

"Granger." He muttered, but this time he didn't say it angrily. She neared a shop near the entrance to Knockturn Alley. Draco looked away trying not pay her any attention or have Hermione's presence affect him. He couldn't help but look back, but she disappeared from the spot. Instead he saw, two shady looking people dragging a poor defenseless girl into the alley way of Knockturn Alley. His eyes widen as he noticed the girl was Hermione.

"Granger!" He said her name urgently with surprise. Before he could stop himself, he pushed his way through the crowd and sprinted to the alley where he saw them drag her into.

He found them in the dark alleyway dragging her further down the dark narrow passage. "Oy! Let her go!" He said gathering their attention.

"Mind your own business, boy." The taller of the two said. They then ignored him and continued pulling Hermione with them. To their surprise as much as his own, he closed the distance between them in no time as he then pulled his arm back and right hooked the face of one of the guys holding her. Hard. The guy he punched now sported a bleeding nose as he bit back a cry of pain and released his grip on Hermione. He was the shorter one of the two. He then touched his face feeling blood gush out and looked at his hands. He clenched his fist angrily when he saw the blood on his fingers. He glared at Draco and lunged at him while Draco, younger and swifter, dodged out of the way.

The taller of the two shady men still had a hold on Hermione with one of his hand over her mouth and his other arm holding both her arms back. She was trying to say something to Draco with pleading and scared eyes, but all he could hear was the muffled words under her perpetrator's hand. She struggled under his arms trying to break free, but he was much stronger than her.

Draco positioned and readied himself as he held two fists in front of him. One of which was bruised a little from the first punch. The guy turned around and glowered. "You damn little bugger."

He tried to punch Draco, but the younger man was too fast. Instead, Draco sweeped his leg at the man and he fell face forward on the ground with a thud. Picking himself up slowly, the man, now bled even more from his face, struggled to stand and tried to land a punch. Assuming Hermione was less of a threat and wanted to take care of Draco once and for all for injuring his partner, the taller shady man became sick of watching and released Hermione to help his partner. Taking Draco by surprise as his back was turned to the Hermione and her capturer, the taller man hit the back of his neck so then Draco collapsed to the ground hard with a thump. He heard a shout of "No!" from Hermione.

"...Run." He muttered out, but she couldn't hear him.

They took this opportunity to kick and punch brutally at the collapsed boy. Draco tried to protect his ribs by bracing his arms in front of him, but they had already done the damage. He was repeatedly punched and kicked as he grunted and gasped from their seemingly never ending attacks. He felt several ribs crack from their assaults; every time they assailed, he could feel his insides screaming in pain as he suffered through.

"Stop it!" He heard Hermione shout. His vision was starting to blur. He continued to defend himself cursing that he was still underage to use his magic. He was definitely going to remember their faces. They will pay for this.

"R-un...ugh...Gran..ngh..ger." He grunted out in between the assaults. One of their boots pressed against his face. He clenched his teeth and grunted. As they grinded the sole of the boot with pressure on his face, he heard them laugh as another boot stomped and crushed his hand. "Ahh!" He yelled out when he heard his bones crack. Then suddenly the pressure on his hand and face wasn't as strong as they stopped their aggressive attacks. Next thing he knew, he heard two heavy thumps next to him.

"...Malfoy!" He heard Hermione call to him before he blacked out.

 **A/N: I apologize for hurting Draco. So. Sorry. La, La, La, La, La~~ Draco saved Hermione! Well, kind of. Maybe. Who knows?... You will! ...Well when the next chapter comes up! Haha. Hope you guys liked it! As always, would LOVE to hear from you guys! Please review if you can!**

 **Update on soda resolution, I'm still good. *Thumbs up* Although I had a nightmare once that I did drink a coke, I woke up screaming. Yes, Yes. I consider that as a nightmare. :P Any hoo, One Punnnnncccchhh! (I remember this time, nbooklover.) XD**

 **Only few weeks until Beauty and the Beast Live Action! I kind of wished the Beast would be played by Tom Felton, but Dan Stevens is good. Anyone heard Emma Watson sing "Something There"? No?... just me again?... okay...walks away and huddles to a corner.**

 **Thanks to all readers again! Have a magical day!**

 **Cheers,**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	15. Chapter 15: Don't Go

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

Ch. 15: Don't Go

Children and adults alike crowded the small streets that made up Diagon Alley. Hermione dug her hands into her pockets as she walked along the street smiling. The hustling and bustling was a warm welcome to Hermione. It was a nice distraction from everything that has been in her mind since the start of break. She worried over Blaise and Scarlet, but one person weighed in her mind a bit more than the others, 'Liam'.

She could feel the silver bracelet she currently had on. For some reason, she hasn't been able to put it back in her jewelry case. Whenever she did take it off, she found herself unconsciously putting it back on her wrist. She tried to think of all the reason he would up and leave that night. Did her face reveal repulse him in any way? That was all she could gather. She thought that they had a connection. Hermione could not forget the way he looked at her and how it made her feel. She's been trying stop herself feeling all sappy and weak all break so she figured going out to Diagon Alley would be a good change of pace for her.

Walking along the noisy street, she stopped in front of a shop as a particular item attracted her eye as a nice Christmas gift for Ginny. She was about to walk into the shop, when suddenly catching her off guard two gruff and burly men grabbed her from either side. One of them placed a hand over her mouth quickly as she tried to yell for help. Her first instinct next was to stomp one of their feet since her arms were immobile. The taller one of the two howled in pain as her heel painfully crushed his foot.

"Shh...you are going to attract attention." The other man shushed at his partner.

"Shut it. Do you know how much that hurt?!" The taller one bit back. Sighting her purse, he snatched it roughly from her shoulder as the strap snapped in half from the force. "You sure she's alone?"

"Yeah, I followed her for a while. She's alone." The shorter one gruffly replied. He glanced side to side as his partner did the same as if looking out for someone.

They began to drag her against her will towards the alleyway to Knockturn Alley as Hermione used her whole body to make it harder for them to do so, but they were too strong. Hermione's eyes widen with worry and shock. She tried to bite at the hand over her mouth. Successful from her action, the hand was retracted quickly from her mouth. The taller man shook his hand trying to lessen the pain. Hermione tried to call for help. Shocking Hermione, he slapped her hard in the face successfully ceasing her from screaming. He covered her mouth once again, but this time with more force. Tears threatened to fall from the shock and painful sting from the assault. More determined than ever to get away, she tried to elbow, kick, and bite with all she had. She struggled under their grasp with all her might giving them a harder and longer time to their desired hideaway.

She suddenly heard someone call out. "Oy! Let her go!" The attackers turned to see it was just a teenage boy.

"Mind your own business, boy." The taller of the two said. Hermione's eyes widen again with shock. It was Draco Malfoy. He looked different than he usually carried himself. His hair wasn't well managed as he usually did at school. He had a look of angry and fury she hadn't seen on him before. She was used to his sneers and glares, but this was in a whole other level. The "If look could kill" phrase were to have an example. This would be it.

She struggled again as she tried to warn Draco of the two men but all that came out were muffled sounds. Then suddenly, Draco sucker punched one of them surprising them all. The shorter one who was punched let go of her to tend to his face.

 _This is my chance._ She thought determined. She tried to free herself from the grasp of the other man, but he grabbed her free arm and pulled it back roughly. Under estimating his own strength and power, he pulled back her arm with an extremely rough yank as she felt her right shoulder dislocate. The taller man didn't care about her pain as he pulled at it and held it firmly behind her back. She winced and fought back tears at the immense pain she was experiencing as she tried again to call out to Draco. But again, it was just muffled sounds. She saw he currently had the upper hand against the short and burly man.

She began to have hope when out of nowhere, the taller man released her harshly, pushed her aside, and knocked Draco down to the ground when his back was turned towards them in one fluid motion.

"No!" She cried as she saw him collapse to the ground. Hermione frowned at the man's backhanded and cowardly action as she held her right arm steady and tried to pick herself up quickly. She saw them repeatedly assault Draco as she quickly ran to the taller man who was holding her purse. She snatched the purse out of his grip with her good arm. Seeing Hermione next to him, the taller man automatically slapped her with force again as she stumbled to the ground and her purse flew a few feet away from her. Ignoring Hermione, he continued to turn his attention into hurting and humiliating the teenage wanna be hero.

"Stop it!" Quickly recovering from the piercing slap, she called out to them as she saw Draco being brutually attacked. It ached her heart painfully as she saw the classmate she knew as a prideful pureblood reduced down to this. These worthless and cowardly scum are going to pay. Each assault done to him caused a painful stab towards her own heart. Hearing him telling her to run, it broke her heart even more.

Sighting her purse, she ran to it as fast she she could. As if second nature, Hermione quickly opened her purse, ignored the muggle pepper spray and pulled out the familiar magical stick from its hiding place. As she heard Draco scream out in pain, she winced and quickly fired two Petrificus Totalus at them. The perpetrators' arms snapped to their sides and their legs snapped together. Their whole body ran rigid thus causing them to fall down, one on their back and other on their face, stiff on the ground. The taller man, the one who fell back on his back, was glaring up into the sky with fury. Although his jaw was clenched, it seemed as if he was trying to say something. Most likely, profanity.

As she breathed heavily with sweat beading down her head because the pain of her shoulder was starting to get to her, Hermione picked herself up as she held her arm steady to run to the body that was Draco Malfoy.

"Oh my Circe, Malfoy!" She cried out as she got closer to him. His body was tattered. He had cuts and bruises everywhere. His hair was no longer the bright blonde color he was known for, but it was dark and dingy as blood and dirt covered it. She noticed he had passed out so she quickly administered some pain relief spells for him as well as her arm. It helped lessen her pain a little. She was apologetic that she didn't know any more effective pain relief spells. She removed the Slytherin boy's hair from his face and looked down at him sadly and heartbroken.

"Thank you... I'm so sorry." She whispered. She cleared her mind as she held onto Draco's arm and thought of her destination. As she was about to apparate, she saw three Aurors in their uniform round the corner wands drawn. Before they could say anything, she and Draco were gone with a pop.

...

They arrived in the middle of the busy lobby of St. Mungo's with another pop. When they arrived, everyone in the room froze to stare at the two. One, whose arm was clearly dislocated as something could be seen jutting out on her right shoulder. Another who was unrecognizable and was badly injured with blood and bruises everywhere. Hermione, who was now sweating even more and breathing heavier and carried very red hand marks on her face, tried to call out for help when suddenly her head started to pound.

She winced as she let go of Draco and used her good hand to hold her head. She tried to call out again when the pain settled, but the pain stabbed even more painfully than the first time. It felt as if a group of hippogriffs stomped on her head at the same time. . "Ah...ugh..please help." She called out strained to anyone that was listening. She started to see stars and blinked to get rid of it. Before she could say anymore, her head now pounded like she has never experienced before. It was never this extreme. She saw a doctor approach her as he began to speak, her vision started to black and her whole body slumped down towards the ground.

* * *

With her eyes closed, she could hear the medical metronome beat steadily to a heartbeat. She could imagine its pendulum sway back and forth rhythmically and methodically. Slowly she blinked her eyes open, bright sun rays shone at her face as she lifted her hand to cover her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

 _Where am I?_ She thought perplexed. With her head on a pillow, she turned to the sound on her left. The steady beat of the metronome was oddly parallel with her own heartbeat. The flask positioned behind the device glowed with a neon blue color.

Hermione research before on some wizarding medical practices and she knew that the flask was charmed to monitor the patient. The color in the flask corresponded to their well being. Red was immediate danger. Different shades of red showed some slight problems. Green was perfect health all around, but blue she hadn't read about.

 _What am I doing here?_ She glanced around in the plain white hospital room. Flashes of the event that happened earlier rushed through her head. The last one was when she arrived at St. Mungo's with a tattered Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy!" She gasped. She pulled her sheets back and saw she was wearing a hospital gown. Her arm was in a sling. _What?_ She thought incredulously. Then her dislocated shoulder came into mind. She attempted to roll her shoulder and could not do it like normal but it was better than before.

She saw across the room on a chair was her clothes and purse. She raised herself up from the bed quickly, but suddenly a rush of dizziness and pain went through her head. She stumbled back on the bed as she pressed a hand to her head. As quickly as it came it left, she marched to her belongings and changed into her normal wear with much difficulty. She was walking to doorway when a Healer entered while glancing at her clipboard. The Healer looked up from the clipboard as she sensed a presence in front of her.

"What are you doing up? We are still running some test on you!" The Healer demanded.

"I need to find Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. The boy I came here with. Where is he? Is he alright?" She said ignoring what the Healer said altogether.

"He's fine. You need to lie down. We need to run some more test on you." The Healer pressed. She tried to direct Hermione to the bed.

"What? I'm fine. I don't need any check ups." Hermione denied as she tried to make her way around the Healer to exit the room.

"No, you are not. It's blue which means you have an illness that can't be seen externally-" The Healer started but Hermione was able to escape and was already down the hallway away from the room. She ran to the nearest staircase and headed for the reception desk. The Healer was running behind her shouting with her clipboard in her hand. Arriving at the desk, she was able to find out he was in intensive care, but was now resting in one of their hospital rooms. Finding out the room number, she ran back up the stairs and arrived at the desired floor. She ran down the hall looking for the room number as the numbers neared the one he was in. Her heart started to beat faster. Finally, she found it. She slowed at the doorway and stood as she took in the scene before her.

Draco Malfoy was resting peacefully with a similar metronome and flask next to him. His flask's vial's color was currently a shade of green which was a good sign. She could still see the faint bruises and cuts on his face. One of his hand was in a temporary cast to help with the mending process.

Hermione couldn't help but feel emotional at the sight that was Draco Malfoy before her. Of all the people in the world, it was him who came to save her. Tears started to fall down her cheek as she thought of how he was beaten. How he endured it just so she could have a chance to escape. She felt herself tremble as she covered her mouth with her free hand muffling an unexpected sob. If he wasn't there, who knows what would have happened to her. She slowly walked closer and stared at him sadly as she shook her head.

"Why did you do it?" She whispered knowing he couldn't hear her. "Look at you now." She said sorrowfully.

Hermione sat at a chair next to his bed and watched him silently. The only sound in the room was the swinging beat of the metronome to the tempo of his heartbeat.

* * *

"Ugh..." Draco groaned as he tried to lift up his one of his arms to his head. Alarmed that he couldn't, his eyes shot opened as he tried to move the rest of his body. He couldn't without his body screaming bloody murder at him to stop. The only thing he could move without intense pain was his head and his cast free arm. He glanced around and found himself in a hospital room. He figured it was St. Mungo's as he saw the metronome and flask on the bedside table. What or should I say who was on his right surprised him the most.

"Granger." He whispered as a small smile thoughtlessly crept up on his face. Hermione was sitting in a chair next to him. She had fallen asleep tired from everything that happened that day. His eyes roamed over her body. He spotted the faint bruise on her face as his eyes lingered at the sling her arm was in. He then remembered everything that happened. His smile quickly dissipated. He groaned and frowned at his own doing. This added to the pile of stuff he had to mull over and justify with reasons he could accept that involved the pretty Gryffindor in front of him.

Feeling exhausted, he felt himself drifting back to a much needed sleep.

...

Hermione woke up for while from briefly nodding off as she watched Draco's chest rise up and down steadily and peacefully as he slept. She wanted to make sure he was alright. A group of Healers rushed into the room surprising her to check on the status of Draco Malfoy. She backed away a little from the bed giving them space to do their job. As the group of Healers finished their check up, two more people entered the room. Mr. Lucius Malfoy and Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy.

She was expecting it, but it still intimidated her a little bit.

"My poor Draco. How could this have happened to you!?" Narcissa ran up to her son's bedside. She tenderly ran her hand along his face and held his hand lovingly. She ignored Hermione's presence and demanded a report from the groups of Healers. They told her that he had a number of broken ribs, a fractured arm and hand, several bruises throughout his body including his face. They said he was recovering and should be better in a few days. After their report, they pointed out that if Hermione had not brought him in on time, they would have some very different news.

Seeing as how the Healers gestured towards Hermione, the two older Malfoys finally acknowledged her.

"Thank you for saving our son." Narcissa said to her surprising Hermione.

"Who would dare to do such a thing?! Did you see what happened? Did you see who it was?" Lucius demanded for an answer.

As the Gryffindor she was, she bravely told them the truth and exactly what had happened. How Draco was trying to save her. How they attacked him. She shared the appearances and description of the assailants. When she finished recalling the event, the Malfoys looked at her with unreadable expressions.

"Get out." Lucius finally said calmly to Hermione with an furious glare.

"I just want to make sure he's alright and I will leave." Hermione said even though she unknowingly flinched under the older wizard's stare.

"GET. OUT." Lucius said once again. This time slower and more menancing.

Hermione turned to Narcissa and apologized with great sadness and guilt. She took her purse from the seat that was still near the bed and took one last glance at the sleeping form of Draco. She turned as she began to leave the room until she felt a hand on her wrist. She froze at the warm touch. Hermione unconsciously held her breath. It made her heart beat faster. She couldn't help but notice that she felt electric similar to what she felt at the night of the ball. The touch felt familiar.

"D-on't...Go..." Behind her, a weak, raspy and dry voice called out to her slowly.

 **A/N:**

 **About the medical wizarding stuff, I made up the stuff the best way I thought it would be for the story so please go easy on me!**

 **Tra-la-la-la-la~ and here is another chapter. I promise the next chapter will be longer and filled with more DraMione drama. And what does Hermione's blue flask mean? Dun. Dun. Dunnn... More will be revealed later. Next time on Dragon Ball- wait, I mean.. Meant To Be.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please read and review if you can. I would love to hear from you guys. What you think and how I can improve.**

 **Soda update: all good. Might just stop altogether forever. Healthy! Yay.**

 **Before I forget, One Punccchhhh!**

 **Anyone watch The Walking Dead? One of my favorite tv shows even though it's a little gruesome and scary at times. I really recommend it. Thumbs up all the way. Unless you are not 14 yet, don't.**

 **Response to Guest Review:**

 **Guest Review1: Draco and Hermione haven't kissed yet. Ch. 14 said they ALMOST kissed. But they will in the later chapters. Please stay tuned.**

 **Guest Review2: Thank you. You make me blush. I don't think I'm as great as you say, but I am glad you liked my story! I'm ecstatic that it was good enough for you to read it all on one go! Thanks! I hope you like this chapter also!**

 **Cheers!**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	16. Chapter 16: Gratitude and Chocolates

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

Ch. 16: Gratitude and Chocolates

As he slept, Draco's mind drifted in and out. He heard a faint but angry voice that sounded eeriely like his father. He then heard an unfamiliar, yet at the same time, strangely familiar female voice. There were some quiet rustling and shuffling, then silence. Gaining a bit of conscious, Draco's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Through his long eyelashes, he saw a blurred and unfocused vision of a girl. "Granger." He mumbled inaudibly. The girl he has had in his mind the past few days. The girl who plagued his nightmares. His dreams. In his dreams, she always left him alone. Turned her back on him and it tormented him. He wanted to know why. Why was her back always turned. Unsure what compelled him, he reached out his free hand and grabbed her. For a dream, she felt oddly real. He opened his mouth and spoke hoarsely. Surprising himself, he told her not to go. Despite the numerous people in the room, all he saw was her and her back still and always turned to him.

"Draco. Thank Merlin, you are awake!" He snapped out of his trance and turned towards the voice that also released a sigh of relief.

"M..um-" He croaked. His hand still grabbed Hermione's wrist. He quickly realized it wasn't a dream but reality. He instinctively withdrew his hand hoping no one noticed and Hermione would ignore it.

"Don't speak, my son. Rest. The Healers will take great care of you." Narcissa said to her son.

"Did I not tell you to leave? You are not welcomed here!" Lucius barked at Hermione.

Hermione noticed Draco's immediate action as she felt his hand leave hers. She frowned inwardly, but stared firmly back at the older Malfoy. "I will take my leave, Mr. Malfoy. Do not think for a minute it's because you ordered me to, but because your son needs his rest." She said as she walked to the door, stopped at the doorway and took a quick glance back at the bed that was now surrounded by Healers before she entered the hallway.

"Bloody lowly mudblood.." Lucius snarled when she left.

The Healers felt uncomfortable in the room from hearing him use the derogatory word as they continued their tasks in silence and with more attention. Narcissa didn't believe in using the word, but she didn't stop her husband for using it. Being the quick-witted and sly lady she was, the clenched fist of her son did not go unnoticed by her when he heard the said derogatory word.

 _Odd. He's heard and used the word before with no problem. He's even used it against the Granger girl in the past. He's told me stories since first year. Granger and Draco were never friends in Hogwarts. Draco wasn't one to act before thinking, but today...Could it be...that he has feelings for this girl? Oh dear..._ Narcissa thought to herself as she kept a stoic face.

* * *

Hermione's footsteps echoed the white and plain halls of the hospital. She was deep in thought as she kept playing the words she faintly heard from Draco over and over again in her head. Even though she knew he wasn't touching her wrist at that moment, she could still feel it on her skin. The way it made her feel. It felt...right. For some reason, it made sense.

 _Just like that night... Could Malfoy?... Could Malfoy be 'Liam'? It would make sense of him leaving and walking away. He has a problem with non-purebloods-_ She thought to herself.

"There you are, Ms. Granger!" Interrupting her thoughts, the same Healer she met in the room she woke up in walked up to her holding the same clipboard. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Healer Becker. Now the formalities are over with. I need you to go back to your room. You need to finish your tests and I have to check on your shoulder again." She said quickly as she shook Hermione's hand on her own.

"I'm sorry, what tests?" Hermione asked confused.

"I can't say out here. We need to go back to your room." Healer Becker replied as she pushed Hermione gently towards the stairs.

Back in her room, Healer Becker pulled out her wand, waved it around Hermione, and enunciated a few spells Hermione had never heard of. From the tip of the Healer's wand, three strands of red, yellow, and blue strings of light flew around Hermione as she sat on the bed. The red colored strings wrapped around her arms and legs, the yellow colored strings coiled itself around her body, and the blue around her head. Hermione looked at them with awe and amazement. Even though she was a witch, new and interesting spells never ceased to amaze her.

"Close your eyes please." Becker said.

Hermione followed her instructions and did exactly so. She could see a faint blue light under the cracks of her closed eyelids as she felt a light squeeze in all parts of her body and then nothing.

"Alright. You may open them." She heard the experienced Healer tell her. Hermione opened her eyes and saw the colored strings were gone, but instead the Healer was holding three flasks of red, yellow, and blue colored liquids in her hand with her name intricately labeled on each one with golden letters. Healer Becker wrote something on the clipboard before turning back to Hermione.

"You will hear the results after they are tested by the MPS, the medicinal potion specialist. Around roughly a few weeks." Becker said to Hermione as she waved her wand and the three flasks disappeared with a pop to who knows where.

"A few weeks?...That long?!" Hermione exclaimed.

"The MPS are pretty busy. Some people have waited for years even. Consider yourself lucky. Have you experienced fainting prior to today? Chest pains?" Becker asked as she walked up to Hermione and checked her shoulder. She placed Hermione's arm back in the sling as she wrote some more notes in her clipboard.

"Twice this year. Madame Pomprey ruled it out as extreme stress and sleep deprivation. She gave me some potions to alleviate my frequent headaches." Hermione answered truthfully.

Healer Becker nodded as she went back to her clipboard and wrote a few more notes. "Your shoulder is good right now. I will be back with a potion to quicken the healing of your muscles in the shoulder area." And with that, she turned and left before Hermione could ask anything.

 _What? That's all she was going to say? What were the tests for? Why is my flask still glowing blue? Is it something I should worry about?_ Hermione thought to herself as she heard her metronome slowly quicken in pace matching her heart beat.

A rush of footsteps trampled into her room as it broke her train of thought. She looked up with awe as she saw her best friends before her in the room.

"Harry! Ron! Ginny! What are you guys doing here?!" She asked bewildered.

"We heard from an Auror that you were attacked today! What happened?" Harry asked with worry as he saw his best friend's arm in a sling.

Hermione retold them the accounts of the accident. How Draco was there at the right time to help her. How he was brutually attacked. How he prioritized her over himself. How she finally were able to stop them. The three listened with a mix of horror, amazement and shock.

"Draco Malfoy saving Hermione Granger? Boy. The press is going to have a field day." Ron said out loud.

"Let's hope not. If no one tells, they won't know." Hermione scowled. She wasn't a big fan of the press.

Hermione and Draco's-hmm, let's say- rocky relationship has been known to the Wizarding society in London since their first year. It was in their year that many Scared Twenty-Eight family's children were starting at Hogwarts at the same time. Because of that, the press was particularly interested in the first year sorting. That day Hermione and Draco had a huge argument like eleven year olds do sometimes, but the press blew it up out of proportion. Since that day, the feud between Draco and Hermione was well known due to Malfoy's upbringing on blood prejudice against Muggleborns. And the rest is history.

"Oh goodness. What time is it?" Hermione asked when she remembered of her parents as she noticed the sun was beginning to set.

"Half past five." Ginny answered.

"Oh shoot. I left the house at 10! My parents must be worried." Hermione said as she started to lift herself out of the bed.

"Don't start moving. They haven't discharged you yet. I will go to your parents and explain what happened. Don't worry." Harry reassured her and pushed her gently down so she sat back on the bed.

"Tell them I will be back as soon as I can." Hermione nodded as Harry smiled.

"Of course." He said as he left the room. Ginny and Ron stayed behind to keep her company until the Healer came in and shooed them out.

* * *

Hermione was released the following day. Her shoulder was good as new. When she arrived home, her parents rushed to her side and kept asking if she was alright. She reassured him them she was fine. Later on that day, she told them what happened in detail. They listened and mirrored her best friends' expressions. They also had heard of Hermione's Hogwarts' stories over the years from her. This Draco Malfoy character hadn't always shined a bright light in them so it surprised them when she told them he had saved her. Granted, they were very thankful towards the young man.

She was told that Draco was going to continue his recovering process at St. Mungo's for at least another five days due to his severe internal injuries. Hermione felt responsible. Even though the older Malfoy kicked her out, she was determined and obligated to visit and thank him properly.

She nervously stood outside his room with a bouquet of get well soon flowers and a box of unique chocolates she noticed he liked to snack on at times from when he hung out at the Head Dorm. Hermione gently knocked on the door that was slightly ajar. No answer. Maybe he didn't hear? She knocked again, but this time with sharp taps. Still no answer. She peeked in... the bed was empty. She pushed open the door and set her gifts down on the table provided in the room and looked around.

She walked out in the hallway and asked a passing Healer. The Healer told her that Draco went for a walk. He needed to walk to get stronger and better faster.

Searching the hallway the Healer suggested to look at, she spotted him a few feet from where she stood. With his back to her, she couldn't see his grimace as he forced himself to walk with every step. He would rather walk in pain than lay in bed all day with his mind occupied with everything that happened in the last 48 hours.

His body was wrapped with gauze in certain wounded areas. One of his arm was still in a cast, but now in a sling hanging from his neck. Hermione's heart ached when she saw the blonde Slytherin in his current condition. Hermione saw him limp as his supported his weight on the wall.

Suddenly, she saw him stumble and rushed forward to help without a thought. Using all of her strength, she grabbed his good arm and held his waist to steady him before he could fall. She turned to face him and smiled weakly knowing he didn't like to be touched. Draco's expression pricked at her heart. Surprised at the sudden appearance of Hermione, he looked at her with a mixture of incredulity and horror. She hadn't known he detested her that much. With a heavy heart, she supported his weight in silence so Draco could balance himself better.

When he was stable, he pushed her arm away roughly causing her to stagger backwards. He tried to walk away as fast as he could to lengthen the distance. between them. His limping was seen as more frantic than before, but still not considered fast. Draco gritted his teeth through the pain, but he felt it was more painful and uncomfortable if he stayed near her. Hermione watched as she saw him slowly move further and further away from her. He didn't want to do anything with her, but she just couldn't let him leave before she said what she had and needed to say since yesterday.

"Malfoy!" She called to him. She saw him briefly freeze at his name before he started to limp away again. "I just want you to know that I am truly and deeply thankful. Thank you for yesterday. You saved me. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up. I owe you my life, really. I know you don't see me as a friend. I know you don't like me because of my blood," Hermione said to him. She didn't notice this, but Draco paused briefly and opened his mouth to as if to say something, but decided against it. Hermione continued.

"But I don't think you are as bad as you make yourself out to be. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you." She ended as he continued to limp away without a word and turned right into another hallway away from her line of vision.

...

Draco stopped when he didn't hear her voice anymore. More curious than not, he backed up, peeked the corner and saw she was walking away with her back turned.

When he rushed to help her that day, his thoughts were to save her, but obviously that didn't really work out the way he planned. He usually thought things through before he acted, but his body moved on its own and his mind went along with it. It was even more foolish that he had momentarily forgotten that he had left his wand at home when he went to Diagon Alley yesterday. He really did not want her to see him like this. He was really shocked when he saw her at his bed yesterday. Shocked, but pleasantly surprised for some reason he couldn't place.

But today, he had gathered his thoughts a bit better. When she suddenly appeared beside him when he stumbled, he felt a combination of embarrassment and shock. He still had his pride. He didn't want help especially from her even if it did make his heart flutter a bit. When she had spoken about her blood, he had wanted to correct her and deny her claim. But he was a Slytherin and Slytherins weren't known for their courage. He was older now and realized blood didn't matter. She proved more than enough that blood didn't matter as she was better than most purebloods at school with magic, but he hated to admit it.

He slowly limped his way back to his room and saw it wasn't empty. His good friend who was also his Healer was there to greet him.

"What are you doing here, Will? I told you. I am fine." Draco said as he made his way back slowly to his bed.

"Yes, but I told you. As your Healer, I have to check on you every now and then. I also promised your mum that too. And I'm more afraid of her than you." Will joked as he began to whip out his wand to start some usual check up spells.

William Rutherford was a family friend and Healer. He was 5 years wiser and older than Draco. The Rutherfords were always in good terms with the Malfoys. The Malfoys had always went to the Rutherfords for medical emergencies as they were a family of Healers. Well known Healers at that. William followed his parents and ancestors' footsteps. He has been named one of the best and brightest in the Wizarding Medical Field of his time. He was very popular amongst the females at St. Mungo's. Coworkers or patients alike enjoyed his company. He was very well liked and it didn't hurt that he was handsome too. With dark blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and tall and tone body under his Healer's garb, who could resist?

Draco clicked his tongue in annoyance but then smirked as he laid still for the spells to flow over to him. He turned to his side and noticed the flowers and chocolate. It was his favorite kind. Draco wasn't one to eat a lot of sweets, but when he did it was when he saw this particular brand of chocolate.

"How did you know I was craving for those? Thanks, mate." Draco thanked his friend.

When he received the results from the spells, William wrote some notes on Draco's file. He glanced up at the younger man from his clipboard. "What nonsense are you spouting on about?"

Draco motioned to the chocolates. William shook his head in denial.

"I didn't bring them. I heard, your friend, Hermione Granger brought them over." Will said on purpose to see Draco's reaction. A smirk slowly appeared on his handsome face. Who didn't know of his young blonde friend's fued with the brunette Gryffindor?

"She's not my friend." Like a child, Draco denied with a snap for the nth time this year.

"Uh huh... yet you saved her. According to her story, you went all Knight in Shining Armor on her. Except she ended up being yours." William laughed at his sulking blonde friend who he treated as a brother. He reached up to Draco's head and tousled his hair like he always did to annoy him.

"I...is not...what I..." Draco tried to think of a comeback as his older friend messed with his friend. Frustrated from the inability to think of a decent comeback, he growled and pushed William's arm away roughly. William feigned a hurt expression. Draco glared at him, but after a while chuckled at William's face. "I can't believe you are a Healer. You act more immature than me."

William smiled at Draco. "At least I know when I like someone."

"What are you talking about?" Draco looked at his friend with a bewildered expression as if he had a Phoenix growing out of his arse.

"You and the Granger girl. You like her." He spelled out of him. "It's obvious. Especially with the way you are denying it. I had an inkling before, but since I heard your not so heroic story, I started to suspect it more. Then when you woke up, you grabbed her wrist. Thought no one noticed did you? And now, you just confirmed it for me by the way you are acting at this moment."

Draco looked at his friend this time like he grew not one, not two, but three Phoenixes out of his arse.

"N-no, I don't." He tried to deny firmly, but cursed inwardly when his voice shook.

"Keep denying all you want. You can't hide it for too long. If you don't act quickly, she might be taken away before you even have a chance." William said as he plucked the letter from the flowers and tossed it at the younger boy. He also opened the chocolate box and tried to steal one.

"Oy. Those are mine." Draco said. William pulled back his hand.

"Now you are getting somewhere. I'll be back to check on you later." The older wizard smiled. He closed the box and handed it to Draco and left the room.

Draco stared at the doorway of where his friend was still very confused and befuddled. He looked down on the chocolates. He unwittingly smiled as he thought of Hermione buying them with him in mind. He shook his head before his mind would drift off into dangerous territory.

 _Him? Liking Granger? Preposterous!_ Draco laughed as he popped one of his favorite sweets in his mouth as he opened the note. It read:

 **Malfoy,**

 **Thank you for yesterday. I really do not know where I would be right now if you didn't jump in. I hope you recover well. My parents would also like to thank you in person. If you are willing, would you like to come over my house for dinner one night so we can properly thank you?**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Hermione Granger**

He could imagine her writing this earnestly. He reread it again to make sure he didn't read it wrong. _She wants him to go to her house?! He's never been to a Muggle house! What will it be like? Dingy and dirty?...Not that he's interested...He was just imagining what a Muggle's house would look like._ He thought to himself.

He heard voices and footsteps grow loud outside his room and he quickly shoved the note under his pillow. He didn't know why, but he did.

Blaise, Scarlet, and Theodore entered the room. They all asked him for his well-being and what happened. Draco told them he had a few cracked ribs, but other than that he was fine. He kept changing the subject when they asked about what happened.

"Did you hear what happened to Hermione in Diagon Alley though?" Blaise asked Draco changing the subject. Draco's back began to sweat and he felt his hairs on his neck rise.

"What?" He inwardly gulped, but asked in a nonchalantly manner. Blaise took out a copy of the Daily Prophet and on the front page was a picture of Hermione holding on to a distorted figure of HIM! It seemed the picture was caught when she was in the process of apparating. You could clearly see her face with bright red hand prints on it and her shoulder was obviously dislocated while she was kneeling next a tattered body he knew was his. His face was away from the camera so no one knew who it was except for people who knew the real story. Lain next to her a few feet away were the perpetrators. They looked like they were hit by a petrified spell. Good ones at that. He released a breath he didn't realize he held when he saw his face wasn't shown.

"What happened?" He asked them curious to what story the press cooked up.

"They are saying she saved someone who was trying to save her from almost being mugged by these two recently escaped prisoners. The two assailants admitted to the Aurors they were looking for wands and money. Saw she was alone and thought she was an easy prey. They were caught by the Aurors shortly after and taken back to prison. Now, a lot of people are trying to figure out who this mystery person is." Theodore pointed at the picture said as Draco stared at the front page.

"We brought you some of your favorite sweets and games so you won't be too bored." Scarlet said gently as she handed Draco a similar box of the chocolate he was holding on to. "Oh, you got some already?" She asked when she noticed the chocolate on his lap.

"Yeah." He said as he closed the box that Hermione left him. Not saying much about it. Not wanting to draw attention to it. For some reason, he didn't want to share it with anyone. "Thanks, Scar." He said as he graciously accepted the chocolates and game from his childhood friend.

The game was a miniature version of Quidditch. It could be a single player game as well as multiplayer. When unboxed, you chant a phrase and the Quidditch goals will rise up from the box to the height of a ruler. Like Quidditch, there are players and balls that come with the box. When playing as a single player, you control the game players with your wand. You can choose which player to control and up to 14 people can play. The balls are scaled to fit the game. Even harder, the tiny Snitch is even more elusive and stealthy as ever. There are also different level of skills you can want your opponents to have. All in all, it's a fun game when you have nothing to do or when it's storming outside. Although, Draco would much rather fly himself if he had to choose between the two.

Blaise had brought Draco's wand from home when he found out about his friend after he went over to the Manor to visit him. The four played a round of mini Quidditch with Scarlet and Draco on one team and Blaise and Theodore on the other. Scarlet and Draco won by a landslide. They cheered as Blaise and Theodore groaned miserably at their loss. They demanded a rematch and Scarlet and Draco agreed happily.

After a while, the three left leaving Draco alone again with his thoughts. He thought of what Hermione had said to him. The ridiculous, but maybe not that ridiculous idea Will had. Frustrated with his thoughts, he ran his free hand through his hair as he stared up into the ceiling. He recalled the note. Should he go? He should, shouldn't he? He groaned and huffed as he draped his arm over his gray eyes. As he pondered and time flew by, he felt his eyelids grow heavy and soon thereafter he drifted into a peaceful sleep as the last thing that stayed on his mind was a female Gryffindor.

 **A/N: Yaahoo~ I hope you guys liked it. Someone finally pointed it out for him. Now the fun begins. Did you guys like William's character? If you did, he might appear again in the later chapters. Thank you for reading! Please review if you can. Love to hear for you guys.**

 **One Punnncchhh! Coke resolution still good!**

 **Really want to see the new Wolverine movie, Logan. Looks awesome.**

 **Cheers!**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	17. Chapter 17: New Discoveries

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

Ch. 17: New Discoveries

Peering in, Narcissa stood at the doorway of her son's room. She nervously clenched on her expensive satin silk handkerchief as she watched over her son who was occupied at his desk. She had never seen him like this. It has only been a few days since he's been discharged from St. Mungo's. William and his team did a great job as expected and Draco was good as new. Well, physically anyways. She wasn't so sure about him mentally. Draco had spent the last half hour at his desk writing then crumbling sheets after sheets of paper in chagrin. Narcissa was beginning to worry as she saw Draco angrily throw yet another crumbled ball of paper at the direction of his wastebasket missing it completely as it joined its comrades on the floor.

Draco huffed and groaned as he pulled out another blank sheet of paper. He ran his hand through his hair several times until he collected himself and reached for his quill. He touched the paper with his quill and began to write. The scratches against the paper as the quill made its way across the sheet was the only thing that could be heard in his room. He scanned his eyes quickly across his neatly written words and felt it was finally acceptable to send. Before he could change his mind, he folded and sealed the letter and signaled for Blade. Blade who had been in the room the whole time was amused by his owner's odd and erratic behavior. He had perched on one of the windows away from the range of Draco's fury balls of paper. Seeing his owner was finally done, he flew over and accepted the letter. Draco told him the recipient so Blade nodded and flew out the window in a blink of an eye.

Draco watched the owl soar into the sky and instantly regretted the letter. He didn't think it was written the way he wanted. But he wasn't even sure how he wanted to write it. Nevertheless, Draco called after the owl, but Blade was long gone. "Wait!"

Draco was rethinking the contents of the letter again. He was frustrated at himself to be this flustered about a simple response to a dinner invitation. He furiously ruffled his hair as he groaned. His hair was sticking up and around in all different directions when he released his hair from his wrath.

Ignoring his mother at the doorway, he walked over to his bed and flopped on it face first and arms outstretched. He let out a groan, lifted his head, and laid it sideways facing the door. His hair sprawled in several awry directions across the bed. Seeing his mother still at the door way, Draco sighed and then asked.

"Do you need something, Mother?" His voice drawled with exasperation.

"Are you alright, my dear? I see something is on your mind." Narcissa said as she released the tension she had on the handkerchief she was gripping.

"I'm fine, Mother. Just leave me be." He said as he turned his head the other way. Being his mother, she knew when Draco at times didn't mean what he said; therefore, she knew her son clearly was not "fine".

"Is it girl problems?" She asked as her intuition was usually spot on. She tred closer to his bed. Hearing no denial from him, she figured she hit the nail on the head with her question.

"Ms. Granger perhaps?" She asked as she predicted that may deny her claim. Draco's head whipped up so fast she was afraid his neck might snap.

"Why would you assumed it's about her?" His eyes widened.

"Mother's intuition. You haven't been yourself lately. I was beginning to get worried, but now I know why. You like Ms. Granger." Narcissa said as she sat down next to her son and started to straighten out his hair.

"I don't." He said as he turned and stared at the wall in front of him. After a moment, he then turned to his mother eyebrows furrowed. "You don't have an problem with Granger though? Not that I am admitting I like her. You don't seem against it, I mean. I thought you were strict on blood purity?"

"I do not have any qualms against Ms. Granger. It was not her fault that you were hurt. Although, I did send some people after the ones who deserve what they deserve. Blood purity is a very traditional and old way of thinking. I do not have any problems with different bloods whether it's half blood or Muggleborn. That's all your father. I couldn't stop him from drilling it in your head when you were a child. I admit that is partially on me. Once you finally know what your heart truly wants, just leave your father to me. I just want what's best for you and what makes you happy. As long as their personality is not horrid, a good person, and most importantly my son loves her, I'd welcome her any day." She smiled down to her son as she finalized the finishing touches to his hair.

"I don't like Granger." Draco mumbled as he placed his head sideways on the bed facing away from his mother.

"I'm not going to push you, but once you know you know. You will keep having that person's face in your head. You will dream about them. Think about them everyday. Before you know it, you start to yearn for their presence." She said as she patted her son's hand and repeated. "Once you know you know." With that, she left the room leaving him alone to his thoughts.

"I don't like Granger." He repeated to her stubbornly. Draco thought of the last words she said. He groaned when he realized he did all that when it came to Granger. He even started to want to see her though he saw her just a week ago.

 _No. No way. It can't be._ He thought to himself. He won't admit it. He doesn't like her. He then lifted his head and planted it straight into his bed as he yelled loudly with frustration into his sheets. While the sheets muffled his scream a bit, his loud holler could still be heard in the hallway. Narcissa smiled knowingly as she slowly made her way down the corridor.

...

Hermione was startled by the sudden arrival of Blade at her window as she was placing both Charcoal and Crookshanks lunches out for them. She picked herself up from her crouched position then walked towards the young dark owl. Blade dropped the letter in her open hands and glided over to his brother thus began to peck at his brother's food. Hermione chuckled at the newcomer as she grabbed the owl food and walked over to them. She added some more food enough for both owls and petted each familiar affectionately. Seeing the animals busy with their lunch, she turned her attention to the letter. She knew who it was from immediately because, obviously, the very familiar owl. Seeing the large fancy M seal on the lenter, she snorted unladylike at it and carefully opened the letter. Handwritten in neat and fancy lettering, it read:

 **Granger,**

 **Although there is no need for your thanks, I am not one to ignore or disrespect an adults' invitation even if it means going to your Muggle house. When should I stop by? Where is your Muggle house?**

 **D.M.**

She rolled her eyes at his evident tone of emphasizing the word "Muggle". Even without the initials and seal, she could easily tell who the writer was based on the content. She sat at her desk and started to write back a reply telling him he could come over the night before Christmas Eve if he had time. She also included the nearest apparition point to her house along with instructions on where to go after he apparated. She patiently waited for Blade to finish as she watched the three familiars finish their food eagerly. Handing the letter to the young owl after he was done, Hermione patted and scratched his head lovingly as he hooted back. He spread his wings and quickly soared into the sky. Charcoal was right behind him because he decided on his own to follow his brother. Hermione smiled and watched the two owls disappear into the sky as she peered out the window with her elbow on the window sill and her head resting on her hands.

...

Fallen asleep and still on his bed with his face laying sideways, Draco frowned with his eyes shut when he felt something fall on his face.

"Stop...it..." he mumbled as he batted his hand aimlessly in the air when he felt a feather tickling his face. The feather persisted. "Stop it." He repeated and started to get irritated. It continued and now he heard a hoot. This woke him with a jolt. He lifted his head quickly and focused his eyes at the owls in front of him. He saw Blade and Charcoal in front of him. Unfazed by the additional owl, he then saw the letter in front of his face so he swiftly grabbed it and opened it.

He felt a surge of warmth as he read the letter from Hermione. Ignoring the sudden warm feeling, he continued to read to the end.

* * *

"This is it." Draco thought as he stood outside the quaint Muggle house. He released a deep breath of air he hadn't noticed he held and lifted his fist to the door. Knock. Knock. Knock. The few seconds he waited before he heard shuffling and footsteps behind the door felt like eternity. He thought to himself. Why was he so nervous? It is not a big deal. They are thanking him! Not the other way around.

When he heard Hermione's voice muffled "I'll get it" behind the door, his heart started to pound against his chest rapidly. The door swung open revealing Hermione in a simple sweater dress with her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail. His heart swelled when he saw her, but he expertly pushed the foreign feelings down to hide them from showing.

Since seeing her that day in the hallway, he has had her in his mind. Flashes of her from the ball. The time when he saved her from the occamy. The time she rushed down to help him when he was injured. He was trying to think of her cons, but her pros outweighed them greatly. He admitted she was a wonderful person, but he wasn't sure that he liked her. More like he wasn't ready to admit it. He was just so used to detesting her. Everything would change and become so different and out of wack if he liked her. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

"Malfoy. Thanks for coming! My parents can't wait to meet you. Come in." She said as she head the door out for him.

He hesitantly stepped into the house and looked around. The house was much smaller than his. It was probably not even a third of the size, but it felt comfortable nevertheless.

"Let me introduce you to my parents." She said as she directed him to the kitchen. He followed suit and saw a women around his mother's age at the stove cooking and a man sitting at the counter near the kitchen watching the lady cook. He looked puzzled. _Where are the house elves?_ He thought to himself.

"Malfoy, this is my mum." "Mum, Draco Malfoy." Hermione walked up to her mom and touched her shoulders lovingly. The lady twisted a knob at the stove. She washed and dried her hands and turned her attention to Draco. Draco extended his hand for a handshake but was surprised with a hug from the friendly looking lady.

"Draco, thank you for saving my daughter's life. I'm glad you came. Make yourself at home. Would you like anything to drink?" She said as she let go of him and motioned at the drinks.

"Pumpkin juice would be fine." He said. Shocked by the sudden intimacy.

"I'm afraid we are fresh out of that. But hearing stories from Hermione, that drink seems like the buzz in the Wizarding world." He heard a gruff and deep voice from the counter and turned his attention to the man. "Hi, I'm Richard. Hermione's dad." The man walked over and grabbed Draco's outstretched hand and shook it firmly. After he was done, he pulled him in and hugged him tight. "Thanks for saving my baby girl. I don't know what I would do without her." He said as Richard released him from his embrace.

Draco was stunned by the second embrace of the night. "I didn't do much." He said as he raised his hand revealing the bottle he was holding on to. "A little something from me." He handed it to Richard who accepted it wholeheartedly.

"You didn't have to, young man." He said as he set the bottle carefully on the counter.

"I couldn't come empty handed." Draco said to the older man.

"So nice of you. We don't have pumpkin juice, but we have orange juice unless you want cola. We don't usually drink it but every now and then we do." Hermione's mom, June said to Draco.

"Cola?" He asked with confusion. He was handed a cup with a black liquid and bubbles on top. He studied it carefully and lifted it up to his face. Sniffing it, he established it wasn't rancid smelling, but sweet. He gulped and downed it in one go. He shuddered as he felt his throat burn when the drink went down. It tasted sweet, but with a kick. He felt a burp come up and tried to suppress it. Unsuccessful, he released a huge burp in the kitchen in front of the Grangers. The ladies giggled and Richard chuckled. He felt himself redden at his action as he apologized for his rude behavior.

"You didn't know. Don't worry." June reassured him as she added some more into his cup. "Dinner is almost ready. Why do you have Hermione show you around the house? We will call you when it's time."

He nodded and excused himself from the kitchen and followed Hermione out to the living room. He looked around and saw some odd gadgets he had never seen before. There was a box shaped object that was centered in the middle of the room.

"This is a television or Telly. It's like the Wizarding moving pictures but it has longer moving pictures that tells a story. You can switch channels to find more content to watch." Hermione explained to him. She turned on the television and smiled at Draco's amazed face as he looked at the screen. She changed the channels and saw him jump then widen his eyes with even more amazement.

"Why don't we have this?" He questioned mostly to himself as he stared into the screen. He poked at the screen repeatedly and looked on with awe.

When he heard Hermione giggle, he straightened out himself and cleared his throat. "That's pretty interesting." He muttered about the television.

Hermione nodded. They continued to walk through the house as she showed him several other devices that he hadn't seen before. He was surprised, amazed, and bewildered all at the same time. They headed upstairs so Hermione could show him the second floor. Walking up the staircase, he saw several photos of the Granger family photos. He chuckled at one where Hermione was around the age of 5 reading a book and surrounded by several other books stacked around her.

At the top of the staircase, Hermione turned towards him when she heard his chuckle tickled her ears. "What are you laughing at?"

"You were a bookworm since little." He said as he nodded towards the photo of her childhood days.

"Books are one of the best things in the world. They have the ability to transport you to a different world, spread knowledge and imagination so I'm not phased about being called a bookworm." She said proudly.

"It wasn't meant to be an insult. Books are one of my favorite things to, but of course third to Flying and Quidditch." Still a step below her, he looked up at her. He couldn't help but admire her confidence and pride.

"Of course it is." She rolled her eyes at his flying comment and motioned him to continue to follow her. She showed the rooms in the second floor until her room was the last one. She heard a flutter of wings, walked over to her room, and was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the brother owls.

"Charcoal! Blade! How did you guys know Malfoy was here?" She said as she tossed treats to them. Draco followed her hesitantly into her room when she gestured him in. He was not very sure about being in the small room with Hermione. He turned and looked down as he heard a click. The ugly ball of fur she called a cat had entered the room after him and shut the door behind him. It meowed at him lazily as a greeting.

"Before I forget," Hermione said which caused him to whip his head to her, "I bought you something for Christmas. If not a Christmas gift, then just take it as a gratitude gift." She said as she took something out of her desk and turned to him. She lifted the nicely wrapped box and held it in front of him.

He looked at her with confusion, but slowly accepted the box. She looked at him with eager eyes urging him to open it. He slowly unwrapped the paper and opened the lid. Inside was silver fountain pen with his engraved initials in it. The top of the pen cap was a small owl print that looked similar to Blade. He stared at the pen and touched it carefully and slowly lifted it out its case.

"It's a pen. A Muggle writing tool. It has ink inside of it, so you don't need to dip it in an ink jar like you do with a quill." She told him when he looked at it questioningly.

"Thank you. It's wonderful." He said honestly as he continued to admired the pen. He slowly placed it back in its box and carefully put the lid on. He felt awkward she gave him a very thoughtful gift and he didn't have one to give in return. "I didn't know I needed to bring a gift." He mumbled.

"You being here healthy and safe is enough. You don't know how worried I was when I saw you in that state." She looked up at Draco because of the height difference. He stared back at her as he felt himself warm up from her comment. A ridiculous thought flashed through his mind as he gazed down into her brown hazel eyes. At that moment, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull her into him and capture her lips with his. He wanted to make sense of what he felt for the past few weeks. Right there. Right then.

"Excuse me, I think that was my mum." Hermione heard a faint voice from downstairs. She broke their gaze then walked around Draco and headed for the her hand on the doorknob, she twisted it and cracked the doork open slowly, but suddenly it was pushed shut with a sudden force and a bang surprising her. A hand was pressed against the door next to her head. She turned to say, "Malfoy, what are you doing?.."

Her voice trailed off when he saw him look at her with intensity in a way she was not familiar with. She instinctively backed up trying to increase the gap between them, but she felt her back pressed against the door preventing her from moving anymore. Unable to fight his urge to touch her, he lifted his other hand and slowly caressed her cheek tenderly as his eyes bore into hers. Her breath hitched at the initial contact as her face burned at his touch. The trail where his hand was left a path of electricity down her body. He then settled his fingers on her chin and lifted her face up towards him gingerly.

"Granger..." He murmured hotly.

Her heart started to beat faster as she noticed Draco's head slowly began to inch closer to hers. With her arms down by her side, she clenched her hands anxiously not knowing what to do paralyzed by her nerves. She felt her ears heat up and her face flush as she could began to see the minute details of Draco's handsome face that he was blessed with when he neared. She could feel his breath on her lips as he inched closer and closer. She wasn't sure if time was excruciatingly slow and she wanted it to go faster. Or not slow enough for her to keep a level mind and get out of the position she was in.

...

"Dinner's ready!" June called up louder at second time. She wasn't sure if the children heard her.

...

Snapping out of it, Draco drew back his head and lifted his hands away from the door and Hermione's face. He looked at Hermione and saw how nervous she seemed. He cursed inwardly at himself for almost forcing himself on her. He chided himself at the way he acted. He wasn't normally like that. He was raised as a gentleman. Draco turned away from her and ran his hand through his hair.

 _What am I doing!? This girl makes me go crazy. What did I almost do_? Draco thought to himself. He really wanted to ruffle his hair furiously, but reminded himself he was in Granger's house as a guest. He stood as he faced the window and trained his eyes on the two owls enjoying the treats Hermione had tossed to them earlier trying desperately to not turn his attention back to her.

Hearing a third call for dinner, Hermione excused herself quietly and quickly from the room and headed down the stairs first. Her face was still flushed and red from what almost happened. She tried to calm her fast beating heart before she entered the kitchen. Hermione was sure she felt a sense of disappointment when he didn't go through with it. _It_ _was just a once time thing. A hiccup...He would never like me like that_. She tried to convince herself.

Draco ultimately turned when he saw Hermione open the door and leave the room. When she left, he felt a sense of regret. Regret that he didn't kiss her. Regret that he had almost kissed her. He was conflicted, but he was positive that he regretted not kissing her more. When she exited the room, he wanted desperately to grab her arm and pull her into him. He wanted to cup her face with his hands and capture those lips of hers. He looked down at his hand that touched her face tenderly just moments ago.

Blaise...William...Mother...

Suddenly, all the talks they had with him about Hermione and love all flashed through his mind. They were right...They saw it before he realized it himself...before he could acknowledge it. Draco then admitted in a faint whisper in Hermione's room amongst the company of the three familiars.

"I...fell for...Granger."

 **A/N: There ya go, all. I hope you liked it. I really enjoyed writing this one. He finally realizes it now! She's the one for him! But is he the one for her? Sorry for the second kiss tease. I will only let them kiss if it's mutual. Haha. Please review if you can. Would love to hear from you all. Thank you for reading regardless.**

 **I will not be able to post a new chapter on time next week. Please be patient with me and I will post one as soon as I can. Thank you all. For the fans of William, please look forward to seeing him in some of the upcoming chapters soon.**

 **One Punchhhh! Soda resolution still underway.**

 **I have had the soundtrack of, the new Disney princess movie, Moana in my head for the past month! Anyone have any idea how to stop it? Lol. Also saw Deadpool 2 trailer. Looks effing awesome. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is on the top of my list to watch in May! Welp, those are the movies I'm looking forward to. How about you guys?**

 **Cheers.**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	18. Chapter 18: And It Begins

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot

Chapter 18: And It Begins

Taking each step one by one, Draco slowly made his way down the stairs to the kitchen area where Hermione disappeared into.

So, now what? Yes, he admitted to his new profound feelings, but was he going to do anything about it?...

What was he going to do? Profess his undying love to her? Yeah, right. She would most definitely laugh and tell her friends, then he would be the laughingstock of the whole school. Even if she doesn't seem like someone who would blabber, but who knows?

Malfoys do not get ridiculed. He was not going to take any chances and show his vulnerability. No way in hell.

Ever since just moments ago, his sensitivity towards anything Hermione related heightened. His ears pricked when he heard her melodic laugh float over from the other room. He could help but smile to himself. When he realized his own smile, he thought with a frown, _Oh, shit. Why am I smiling? This is so unnatural of me._ He expertly controlled his positive emotion and toned it down to a normal Draco Malfoy level.

With a controlled neutral face, he rounded the corner and entered the kitchen where the Grangers were. He was pleasantly intrigued from the scene before him. Richard was bent foward near a contraption and was staring into it intently while it his face glowed bright yellow from it. After a few seconds, he reached for the handle and pulled a steaming pan from the contraption.

June was cleaning up her cooking area while Hemione was setting the dining table. His eyes couldn't help but follow her and her movements. He watched quietly as she carefully and meticulously set the utensils next to each plate. With his eyes trained on her, he didn't hear what Richard said to her but he did hear her wondrous and joyful laughter followed by her father's. Affected by the infectious joy of their laughter, Draco couldn't help but smile along.

"Ah, Draco. There you are, come come. Dinner is ready. I hope you like it. I made my famous shepard's pie." June said drawing his attention away from Hermione and to her. She motioned for Draco to the dining table and he did so with a polite smile. The family and Draco settled down at the square dining table.

Hermione's parents sat across from each other as they always did resulting in Draco sitting across from her. She couldn't help but feel a bit cowardly and unlike herself as she sat down at the table. Hermione was afraid to look up at him, but her curiosity outweighed her fear as she slowly lifted her eyes to see the Slytherin in front of her. She saw that he was making conversation with her dad. Feeling her eyes on him, he turned and nodded at her, but continued to chatter with her dad. He acted like what just happened upstairs not long ago didn't happen. A mixture of relief and disappointment washed over her. Did she or did she not want him to be affected even just a tiny bit by what happened?

Taking her mind off of the matter, she focused on her mum who was serving the guest's plate. June scooped a large spoonful of the shepard's pie and placed it in Draco's plate. She then went for the spoon in one of the vegetable dishes. Draco stopped her and spoke. "It's alright, let me." June nodded and allowed Draco to serve himself. The rest of them followed suit.

Hermione ate her vegetables while listening to her parents and Draco talk. They were fascinated by how he grew up in the Wizarding World as Draco was with the Muggle inventions he had never heard of. She was silently shuffling her peas around her plate because they weren't exactly her favorite greens. She didn't mind other vegetables, but for some reason she just couldn't swallow the small pearls of green without wanting to gag. Hermione grabbed for the spoon for more broccoli, but at the exact time Draco did the same. Her hand unintentionally grasped his. When she felt the shock of electric again from their touch, it caused her to audibly gasp softly and jerk back her hand. She hoped no one noticed or heard her.

Draco definitely caught her quick split-second reaction. Outside, he was calm and collected, but inside, he grimaced and winced. _It doesn't matter if I admit I like her if she doesn't even like me. She can't even stand touching me._ He thought as he replayed her quick retraction in his mind again. Without a second thought, he then scooped a spoon of the broccoli and placed it on Hermione's plate naturally as if he's done it several times for her before.

She looked up at him with widened eyes as he looked back with an indecipherable expression across his face. Hermione looked back down with a slump and muttered a thanks. She chided herself for giving herself false hope for thinking something might happen between them.

The interaction between the two teenagers did not go unseen by June Granger. She smiled affectionately at both troubled children as she saw into them what they didn't see in each other. She silently put a fork full of peas in her mouth and chewed while smiling at her husband who in turn automatically grinned back but not for the same reason. He just did it to mirror his wife.

After dinner, the ladies were washing the dishes as the guys continued their conversation in the living room. Hermione's parents insisted Draco stay a bit longer and because he was unable to refuse them, he did. He also stayed partially because he wanted to and thought it was a good chance to learn more about Hermione.

Hermione was drying one of the plates with a dry cloth while her mum washed the dishes and passed the clean wet ones to her.

"He's a nice boy." June said casually as she passed one of the plates to her daughter.

"Ehm hmm." Hermione slowly took the plate from her mum who looked at her with a mischievous twinkle in her eye which scared her because it reminded her a bit of Dumbledore. She knew there was something her mum was thinking about when she had that look in her eye, and it wasn't always something good. Hermione didn't say anymore and continued to wipe the water from the plate. She then placed the dry plate in the drying rack. Just as she was about to let go of it, her mum started again.

"I can't believe he was the same child who tormented you all these years. He is definitely different from your stories." Hermione let go of the plate slowly as she took another plate from her mother. "...I wouldn't mind if he was my son-in-law." Her mum looked at her daughter with a smirk that could mirror Draco's. With a dumbfounded look across her face, Hermione dropped the plate she was holding with a shock. A loud shatter and a loud "Mum!" could be heard from the kitchen.

The boys came in to check on them and asked if they were alright. Taking her wand out from its hiding place, Hermione did a quick reparo with it and the plate pieced itself together. Assuring they were fine to the guys, Richard and Draco were ushered back out to the living room.

"Mum! What in the blazes is wrong with you?! Your son-in-law?!" She said to her mum in a hushed whisper when they were out of earshot.

"Oh hush. I know you like him. Go for it. I give you my approval." June smiled as she rinsed the last plate and handed it to Hermione.

"...even if I like him. He wouldn't like me back. He's a pureblood and he's been brought up-" Hermione muttered as she wiped the plate over and over again more times than she should.

"Stop it. Love knows no boundaries. Love does not see blood. Love does not care about those things, my silly yet wonderful child. Once you love someone, you love them no matter what." June said as she takes the plate Hermione was holding who was trying to take in her mother's wise words. June placed it in the rack and smile lovingly at her daughter. She then hugged Hermione who eventually gave in and hugged her kind mother back. After a moment, June released Hermione and grabbed her hand. "Come on. Let's play some games before Draco leaves."

"Mum? What-" Hermione said confused as she was dragged into the living room behind her mother.

Her parents convinced Draco to stay longer yet again. Draco didn't mind it actually. He was intrigued by the Muggle sports that Richard was telling him about and showing him on the contraption called the "telly". He then told Richard about Quidditch who was equally fascinated by the flying sport. Hermione had mentioned it before to him, but not as detailed and engaging as Draco described it.

Draco was questioning himself why he didn't take Muggle Studies as serious as he should have. Everything he's been told and shown was spellbinding. Then again, most of the information he did remember from the class were either not on point or completely wrong. One thing he wouldn't forget was cola. He will admit; the drink had a kick to it, but it was addictive. He just couldn't stop drinking it.

They eventually decided that they were to play charades, a game of describing words and phrases without making a sound. They split up into girls versus boys team. The teams wrote words on several slips of paper for the other team to act out to their partners within a time limit. The teams took turns until the score was tied. It was the last round and the girls' turn.

Hermione read the last slip of paper in her hand and read it. Reading the word, she widened her eyes and pointedly looked at Draco and her father who were looking back at her grinning ear to ear. They knew what the last word was and were sure June wouldn't know it.

"Okay, mum. We got this." Hermione said determinedly. Her mother nodded in affirmation. They started the timer. Hermione started to act. She held her hands out like she was holding a stick vertically. Then she began to move her arms back and forth.

"Mopping!... mop!..." June was spitting out guesses. Hermione continued her action again as she heard her father and Draco chuckling.

"Um. Um. Brooming!... broom!.. broom!" Her mother shouted out excitedly. Hermione's eyes widened with excitement and pointed at her mother to signal she was on the right path. She then took the imaginary broom, mounted it, and started to sway back and forth. Hermione smiled, rolled her eyes, and shook her head at the guys when she heard her father guffaw and Draco chortle.

"Broom. Broom. Broom... This is a Wizarding word. You are flying with the broom." June deciphered the movements. Hermione nodded energetically. She continued the action and pretended to catch something and dodge something else.

"Oh! You are doing that sport. The flying sport." June clapped as she thought of what Hermione was acting out. Hermione nodded again.

"What is it called...Kit Irch.. something like that...I can't remember." June said trying to scramble as the last few seconds counted down.

"Kit itch... quilt itch.. quit ditch.. Quidditch.. it's Quidditch!" June shouted as she remembered the correct name. Hermione yelled triumphantly with glee and ran over to her mum with a huge grin. She high-fived and hugged her giddily. They turned to Richard and Draco who were looking at them with disbelief. June held her head up high jokingly as Hermione lifted her hand, pointed her finger at them and thumbs downed them with a serious face. When she saw their speechless and shocked face, she couldn't hold her serious expression anymore and broke into laughter.

For the second time that night, Draco found himself gazing at Hermione soaking in her cheerful and hearty laughter. He stared mesmerized by her. The way her eyes gleamed and twinkled when she was excited. When she became serious, he noticed she furrowed her eyebrows slightly in concentration while she puffed her cheeks out a bit.

Since admitting to his feelings, the floodgates opened. He couldn't stop looking at her. He couldn't stop noticing the little details about her that made her Hermione. Learning new things about her was delectable. He tried really hard not to show any reaction or emotion about what happened in Hermione's room. With all his might, he willed himself to act normal as if nothing happened.

Surely she questioned it, he noticed the curious and confused glances she occasionally made during dinner. Knowing her, she probably tried to make sense of it. He couldn't make sense of it himself other than he liked her. Surprising? Yes! ...Even to himself! But he couldn't deny it any longer. The Gryffindor lioness crept into his heart before he knew it. She wouldn't even believe it if he told her. She'd probably play it off like a joke.

"We want a rematch. Right, Draco? We can't lose against them." Richard said as he chuckled at his wife and daughter's silliness. Breaking away from his thoughts, Draco verbally agreed with the older man. They played another round resulting in another win for the ladies and another disappointing loss to the guys. Seeing it was getting late, Draco relunctantly told them he had to leave. The Grangers followed him to the door as he put on his coat and scarf he had taken off earlier in the visit. He thanked them for their hospitality, and they insisted he'd come again. They thanked him one last time for helping Hermione as they each gave him a hug goodbye.

As a ploy to leave the two teens alone, June remembered she wanted to give Draco something before he left so she went to the kitchen dragging a confused Richard along with her. They stood in front of the door in an awkward silence. It was the first time they were alone since the incident. Draco cleared his throat.

"This was nice." He watched her look up to him and smile.

"I hope you had a nice time. Thank you for coming." She said. As a habit that she usually does with her friends when they leave, her body moved on its own and hugged him farewell.

Feeling him go rigid under her embrace, she froze when she realized what she just did. Afraid to let go and see his expression, she stood there still with her arms clutched around him. When Hermione gathered herself and was about to let go, she felt him move and hug her back with a squeeze. Unseen by Draco, Hermione's eyes widen as she went stiff then relaxed into his arms with a very soft sigh.

The embrace felt different from all the ones she's had. It felt not only safe and peaceful as if she could just rest her head against his chest and sleep for hours, but also right...It was the only word she could describe it. She wasn't sure about his side, but she felt like she had a connection. The hug reminded her of the night of the ball. 'Liam' made her feel similar; like there was a special connection. Was Draco 'Liam'? She really wanted to know.

Her hug took him by surprise. At first, he couldn't move, breathe, or react. He then brought out all his courage, lifted both arms and reciprocated her action. Judging from her family, they probably gave hugs to everyone and there wasn't a special meaning behind it. He didn't care. It felt special to him. He wanted to take advantage of the situation so he hugged her back and even squeezed her in his arms a bit. The way her frame fit into his felt rare but prefect. He couldn't believe he could feel so elated from a simple hug.

"Ehem." June cleared her throat surprising the young wizard and witch both as they quickly jumped out of their embrace. Now with several feet between them, they stood awkwardly at the doorway both reddened in the face and facing away from one another.

"Now, before you leave. I want you to take this. I know it's not much, but I noticed you liked it so take it." June said as she handed Draco a bag filled with some cola and Muggle sweets. Being dentists, they tend not to consume sweets, but they still carried them in the house just in case.

With the bag in his hand, he thanked June as he opened the door and stepped into the cold bone-chilling winter night. He bid the Grangers goodbye. He couldn't help but glanced a final glimpse at Hermione before walking out of their porch. The night sky, filled with countless stars, was clear as it can be. The moonlight shone brilliantly against the white snow. His shoes crunched against the snow with every step he took.

Even when the air was freezing, he still felt warm without heating spells to keep him toasty as he reminisced the eventful night. He was glad he decided to come. A smile was etched onto his face the rest of the way back to the apparition point, his house, his room, and finally his bed.

* * *

With the Wealseys still asleep, Harry was in the kitchen at the Burrows early one morning after he had visited Hermione at the hospital with Ginny and Ron. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat himself at the long mismatched dining table. Scooping the spoonful mixtures of milk and cereal robotically into his mouth, Harry stared off into the space as he thought back to Hermione.

He noticed how Hermione spoke of Draco. It was very different from what he was used to. She didn't speak about others the same way she did him that day. He contemplated some more then finally concluded: ... _She likes him. Hermione likes Draco._ Harry sighed.

Harry would have to accept it. Even if she didn't like him, she was still his best friend. She was entitled to like whoever she likes even if he didn't agree with it entirely. Harry continued to eat his cereal in silence. Then he heard footsteps as he saw Ginny come down the stairs. They exchanged morning greetings with each other.

Ever since the ball, Harry and Ginny have gotten closer than before. Not that they weren't close before, but now they were closer in a different level. Not yet in the relationship level, but still better than before. Ginny wasn't sure if it was in the way she wanted them to be, but she was still glad they were getting closer nevertheless.

She poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat diagonally to Harry in her usual seat at the table. Ginny had a question and doubt preoccupy her mind since the visit at the hospital. She felt that she had to speak her mind before Harry went back to his parents.

"Harry.." She said as she set her spoon down in her bowl. Harry snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention to Ginny.

"Yeah. Did you need something, Ginny?" Harry asked with a smile. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Harry. Do you?..." She tried to ask but hesitated. He looked at her expectantly. She took a deep breath and started again. "Do you still like Hermione?"

Her question took Harry by surprise. He wasn't expecting Ginny to be so direct. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and opened his mouth. "Yes and no. I still like her as a best friend, but we can't be anything more. I know that now." He smiled to himself.

Ever since the train, he spent hours and hours thinking of Hermione's answer and his own feelings. He was able to sort them out. He would be perfectly content just staying her best friend even if he knew she would be with someone eventually in the future.

"Ah." Ginny could only say. She was half relieved with Harry's answer and other half disappointed in herself for being so wishywashy that she had to ask to feel assured.

"I had a wonderful time at the ball. Thank you for such a great time. It was your company that made it extra special." Harry said changing the subject as he noticed her let down expression. Ginny's face brightened slightly grateful that Harry changed the topic.

"I'm glad you did. I did too! Remember when.." Ginny smiled and began to remind him of the funny events at the ball. Harry laughed and they continued to chat cheerfully in the bright and sunny dining room while enjoying their cereal and waiting for more Wealseys to wake up and join them.

* * *

In the grand room of the Zabini Manor, five people sat around in the large traditional arm chairs set in the middle of the room. The ceiling of the room stood fifteen feet high. The sunlight danced through the large and tall ceiling-to-floor windows lined up around the room providing ample amount of the natural lighting from nature for the occupants of the room.

A poised and aristocratic middle-aged couple sat across from Blaise and his mother. Sitting next to the elite couple, Scarlet knew what was coming when Blaise asked her parents for an audience with him and his mother. Gripping the armrest and feeling uneasy, she was dreading what was going to happen next.

"Sir and Lady Knightly, I have asked you all here so you can help me grant my wish." Blaise started as everyone directed their attention to him.

"And what is your wish?" A noble and wise voice came from Sir Knightly.

"I wish to break off my engagement with Scarlet." He said clearly not breaking his eye contact from Scarlet's father.

"And why is that?" Sir Knightly questioned as he leaned forward in his chair.

"I do not wish for Scarlet to be tied down to one person her whole life. I want her to experience more. I want her to have the freedom to love; not to be restricted by me. She's only known a handful of people since she's been homeschooled since childhood but now she's at Hogwarts. She can experience more things and explore more options. I want her to be able to live and love freely." Blaise explained in depth with earnestness.

"What? But-" Befuddled, Lady Knightly started to say but stopped when she felt her daughter's hand grasp her arm. She turned to her daughter and saw her shake her head sadly.

"If he feels that way, I want to grant his wish. I also want him to love whoever he likes. Whoever will make him happy." Scarlet whispered sadly to her mother.

"Are you sure? Even when you feel so strongly for him?" Her mother asked softly to her daughter heartbroken seeing her daughter so forlorn.

Scarlet nodded. "I don't want to force him into a marriage if he doesn't love me." She said. Tears stung her eyes as she tried to blink them away.

Lady Knightly eventually spoke out. "If that is what you wish, we shall honor your decision." She motioned for the Blaise and Scarlet to the middle of the room. Rising and walk from their seats, the two stood facing each other in the middle of the room. They held each other's forearms as they peered into each other's eyes.

"Are you sure you want this, Blaise?" He heard his mother ask him from behind him.

"Yes, mother." He said without breaking contact with Scarlet. He stared into her beautiful eyes and smiled.

"Are you ready, Scar?" He said her.

"Yes." She said unable to smile back. She couldn't say anymore afraid her voice may break and betray her. Sir Knightly made his way to them and stood in front of them in the middle. He brought out his wand, mutter a spell, and waved his wand over their heads. A wave of red flashed over their heads and down their body engulfing them in blanket of red. As quickly as it came, it disappeared into thin air. Sir Knightly then tapped each of their heads at the crown softly and a red ribbon appeared from Blaise's head and floated above him as Scarlet's did the same. The ribbon that hovered over them was tied to each other symbolizing their betrothal and connection. Sir Knightly waved his wand conjuring a large pair of scissors and cut the ribbon in half. It disappeared immediately and the two could feel something lift off of them.

Scarlet sorrowfully looked at spot where the ribbon was above Blaise's head. She was afraid to look into his eyes. She didn't trust herself to look at him right now and not cry. So she turned away from him and walked to her mother's side. Lady Knightly excused themselves without trying to alert anyone of Scarlet's dangerously close-to-falling tears.

He saw Scarlet leave without even a second glance back at him. He felt something was definitely off. For some reason, he began to doubt his decision. He couldn't take it back now. Blaise was positive he felt that he had done something horribly wrong, but he smiled anyways despite his stomach starting to tie up into a knot. It was for Scarlet after all.

* * *

At the houses of the Wealseys, Potters, Longbottoms, and Grangers, they all received envelopes with the signature Malfoy candle stamp seal on it. Surprising the occupants of the house, the letter read:

 **We would like to invite you and your family to the Malfoy 23rd Annual New Year Luncheon and Fundraiser.**

The rest entitled the time and semi formal attire requirement to the event.

...

"Another stupid fundraiser luncheon. I don't get why Mother loves these things." Draco mumbled to himself as he gulped down half a glass of butterbeer as he sat in the farthest corner of the room with his friend, William. William's family was invited every year to this particular event. He was supposed to be greeting people, but was able to get himself out of the tiresome and annoying task.

"It's for a good cause, kid." William said as he stole Draco's cup and took a swig out of it.

"Go get your own, Will." Draco said as he frowned at his older friend's behavior.

"So did you get your feelings straightened out?" William asked completely ignoring the Draco's comment.

"..." Draco didn't reply as he sat with his elbow on the table and his head resting upon his hand.

"Ah, ha! I'll take that as a 'yes'!" He said as he messed with Draco's hair purposely to get a rile out of his blonde friend. Draco tried to ignore him, but William didn't relent. He kept messing with his hair moving his hand around the blonde locks here and there.

"Why...don't...you...stop?" Finally fed up, Draco said as he tried to wack away the Healer's hand from his head. William lifted his hand every time Draco swapped his hand at his. And every time he moved it back on his head. Draco huffed in frustration.

"Okay, okay." William ultimately relented as he saw his younger friend's frustration. "What's wrong?"

"What's the point in admitting my feelings when it won't be reciprocated?" Draco said as he looked at the door and saw the people slowly pour into the room.

"How do you know it won't be?" William smirked as he took the drink he stole from Draco and lifted it to his mouth.

"I just do. I have seen her flinch away from me. Having feelings is both time consuming and bothersome. I can't get her out of my head even when I try to stop. I keep thinking about her and seeing her in my dreams." Draco complained to his friend as he furrowed his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ah...young love." William said as he placed down the cup after taking a sip.

"You aren't that much older than me, Will." Draco rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, I am even imagining her when I'm not even dreaming." He frowned staring near the entrance of the room.

"I don't think you are dreaming, child." William said as he pointed in the direction of the main door where the guests began spilling in more. "It's not a dream. That's actually Hermione Granger in the flesh."

 **A/N: I know I said I was going to be late this week, but despite my extra busy schedule this week, I worked overtime to finish this chapter. Sorry if there are any grammar errors. I did it all for you guys! *Wink* I really wanted to share this adorable interaction with DraMione and updates on the other characters. I hope you like it! Please review if you can. Love hearing from you guys!**

 **One Punchhh! Soda resolution is still going on strong. I'm not even craving it anymore. I call that an achievement. *Thumbs up***

 **Thank you for the past reviews. I tend to reply to them as soon as I can, so check your inboxes if you'd like. Wow, Beauty and the Beast is finally out. Anyone watched it?**

 **Cheers.**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	19. Chapter 19: Nothing but Turmoil

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot

Ch. 19: Nothing but Turmoil

He slammed his hand roughly against the table with a bang and sat up straight. Draco narrowed his eyes as he tried to register what William had said and the girl who just entered the room. He knew William was saying something to him but he all he heard was muffled speech as he focused all his senses at her. He could see her look in admiration at the grand ballroom they currently were in. The tall ceiling towered over them as the intricate and magnificent detail work in the ceiling added to the grandeur of the room. There were tables set around the room with deliberate precision. The tableware and decorations on the tables paralleled with the splendor of the rest of the room.

Seeing her stand near the doorway waiting for someone, he grew curious.

"Who is she waiting on?" He pondered outloud.

"I don't know, but it would be rude of me if I don't introduce myself, don't you think?" William smirked mischievously at his blonde friend. Without leaving Draco a chance to retort, he was already halfway across the room.

"Wait a minute, Will!" Draco called out in panic. He didn't know why but he had an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. He jumped out of his seat and reached William's side. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the girl who, against his will, captured his icy heart.

"Malfoy! Nice to see you again." Hermione said with a surprise as she saw him appear suddenly in front of her. Draco saw her cheerful brown golden eyes and he couldn't help but get lost in them. Then he heard William's chuckle snapping him out of his stupor. He glared at William knowing exactly what was going through his older friend's mind. Glancing back at Hermione, he didn't want to lose his common sense and do anything foolish so he reminded himself of how Hermione flinched when they touched at the table in the Granger house.

Masking his hurt with a scowl, he asked with a growl,"What are you doing here, Granger?" He crossed his arms across his chest in a way to close his own emotions and prevent them from spilling.

Hermione flinched from his growl. It seemed harsher than usual. She had foolishly believed that Draco had warmed up to her at the dinner at her house so she thought he might be glad to see her in his residence. "Your mother sent us an invitation." She said to him with a glare.

"I'm sorry, what this kid meant to say is, 'It's nice to see you here, Miss Granger. Welcome to my home.'" William said as he cut into the two students' conversation. He slung his left arm around Draco's shoulder as the younger wizard ignored the unwelcome heavy weight on his own person.

Hermione looked at William at first with confusion then giggled when she registered how William was leaning on Draco ignoring the blatant scowl on the blonde boy's face. "My name's William. William Rutherford. Been friends with this runt for years. I don't know what to do with him." William said as he lifted his slung arm from Draco's shoulder and ruffled his hair with a smirk.

He then offered his hand for a handshake and Hermione followed his lead after saying her name and leveled her hand to his about to shake. He gripped her fingers in his hand gently and brought them up to his lips. With a kiss on her hand, he kindly and softly let go of her. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Granger."

Hermione blushed at the older wizard's compliment and greeting. _Older guys are definitely in a different league. He did it so naturally and isn't even phased._ She thought with a shy smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rutherford."

Draco glared daggers at William as he tried to fix his disheveled hair. He felt himself get riled up a little when he saw the exchange between the two unfold in front of him. William stealthily smirked at Draco after he introduced himself to Hermione. Seeing and sensing the deliberate action, the younger boy steeled his emotions once again with an even stronger defense.

"Mr. Rutherford is my father. Just call me, Will. May I call you by your first name?" William said with a winning smile.

"Of course you can." Hermione smiled back unable to control her blush. She has heard of William from the girls back in Hogwarts when she lived in the dorms. She knew they gushed that he was very charming and handsome, but she wasn't expecting it was to this extent.

"Hermione, have you had a tour of the place yet? Draco should show you around. You probably showed him around when he was over at your place, right?" William said to Hermione expecting an interesting reaction. He knew something interesting had happened that night, but Draco wouldn't budge no matter how hardball he tried to get it out of him. Seeing her blush deeper, it confirmed that he was right.

What he said reminded Hermione of what happened in her room that night and she blushed fiercely. Draco glanced a peek at Hermione and noticed her flush. He scowled outwardly showing his disgust as he assumed she was falling for William's charm.

She cleared her throat and answered, "No, I have not see the place. Let me just notify my parents first."

Draco whipped his head very fast to face her. "Your parents?! Richard and June are here?"

"Yes, that's what I meant about 'us'." Hermione said in a bossy tone to Draco as she turned to walk back out to the hallway and rounded the corner to tell her parents about the tour.

Making her way down the hallway, Hermione's mind started to wander. She imagined Draco and her roaming the empty halls of the large manor by themselves. Her mind then quickly flashed to a scene where they were in one of the many bedrooms in the large manor. Draco had pushed her down on the bed and held both her arms secure next to her head. His eyes roamed all over her as she felt her body grow hot and bothered under his hungry gaze. His eyes slowly trailed back to her face as she saw they were dark with lust. He then slowly leaned down to her and-

Hermione gasped and snapped out of her imagination. She softly slapped her cheeks to alert and wake herself up, but she could still feel her face was hot with heat.

 _What is wrong with me?_ She thought as she spotted her parents and quickened her pace towards them.

* * *

-An hour ago-

"Mum, Dad! Are you guys ready? The taxi will be here any minute now." Hermione called up to her parents.

"Yes, yes, yes. We're coming." June said as she called from upstairs. "Dear child, hold your horses. I know you are excited to see your husband, but calm down." June said jokingly as she put on her thick coat while climbing down the steps of the stairs.

"What are you on about, mum? He's not my husband! He's not even my friend... It's never ever going to happen." Hermione shushed her mother and fussed at her with a hushed tone.

"Whatever you say, my dear." June smiled knowingly as she buttoned the last few buttons on her coat.

"What is she saying?" Richard said as he joined his two favorite girls near the front door. He twisted his thick scarf around his neck until it was just the right amount of warmth and style.

"Nothing, dad. Girl stuff." Hermione said to avoid another person adding into the mix to embarrass her.

They left the house, locked the door behind themselves, and saw the taxi arrive just in the nick of time. Richard sat on the left of the driver as the girls sat in the back. Giving the Muggle taxi driver the address Mrs. Malfoy provided them with, the driver nodded in acknowledgment and sped out of the neighborhood.

The address wasn't the exact location of their Manor but a five minute walk from it. More than half an hour later, the vehicle halted to a stop arriving at their destination. The Muggle driver glanced at them with confusion as he accepted the fare from Richard. The location he had brought them to was in the middle of nowhere. The only place that he could fathom them going to was a menacing and rundown mansion only five to seven minutes from this area. Ignoring the driver's curious glance, Hermione thanked him, closed the door, and watched him speed back to the main road.

Being a witch, she could see through the illusionary magic to prevent muggles from wanting to enter it. Her parents look at the torn down building in front of them. They knew of illusionary magic as they have been to Diagon Alley with Hermione before and experienced it for the first time there.

"You sure this is where it's supposed to be?" Making sure they were in the right place, June asked as she squeezed herself to keep warm.

"Yes, mum. This is it." Hermione smiled as she hooked one arm on her mother's arm and the other on her father's. The three made their way to the front gate and she followed the instructions Mrs. Malfoy mentioned in the letter when they were trying to open the gate. After completing the correct sequence, the large iron gates opened itself as her parents watched in astonishment.

They stepped foot into the large estate and finally her parents were able to see the wondrous and grand Malfoy Manor. Instantly, they felt warm as Hermione felt the large range heating spells in effect. _I will have to learn this spell...it would be very useful in the future._ Hermione thought to herself. The three of them made their way down the large paved floor to the entrance of the manor. Richard and June didn't know where to stop looking. It was the second magical area that they have ever been to. They saw buckets of water watering plants on its own. The different types of plants that were planted in the large garden in front of the Manor differed from the Muggle species they were accustomed to.

Arriving at the door, Hermione knocked firmly and steadily. She heard movement behind the door and was greeted by a house elf.

"Hello, missusus and mister. Welcome to Malfoy Manor. Mindy must take you to the grand ballroom. Follow Mindy please, missuses and mister." The house elf named Mindy said to Hermione. She walked away expecting them to follow him. Hermione was baffled and in horror that they were greeted by a house elf who wore an empty potato sack as clothing. She didn't understand how they were alright with the way they were treated, but she was a guest today so she shouldn't make a scene. Right?... After processing everything Mindy was saying, Hermione nodded, motioned her parents, and followed the house elf into the building.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. I'm so glad you could come." Hermione heard a voice say behind her as Hermione turned to the direction of the voice. She stopped to a halt as did her parents behind her. They saw an elegant Mrs. Malfoy dressed in her finest and a silent Mr. Malfoy beside her dressed equally as impeccable. The older Malfoys made their way to them with such grace and dignity that it seemed effortless.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. Thank you for inviting us. I am honored you would invite us to your well known and charitable luncheon. These are my parents, Richard and June." Hermione said to them. Richard stepped up to them and introduced himself. He lifted his hand for a handshake with Mr. Malfoy but was only given a look of indifference. Mr. Malfoy muttered something incoherent and walked away in the direction of the ballroom. Richard and June looked at each other with confusion and worry. Mrs. Malfoy waved off her husband's childish behavior.

"Ignore him. He's going through a phase." Mrs. Malfoy said with a straight face. Hermione gawked at her unladylike gesture. Mrs. Malfoy was different than she imagined.

Narcissa had invited the Grangers as she saw how Draco had been since coming back from the dinner he had with them. She could care less that her husband didn't agree to inviting muggles to their house. Whether he liked it or not, they were coming. Mrs. Malfoy was very thankful to them even if they didn't know it. She really liked this behavior of Draco better than when he came back from school. Granted, he was still zoned out at times, but he was a bit more cheerful. The hair ruffling hadn't stopped completely, but the instances had been less. She knew it was particularly because of the bright and pretty Gryffindor in front of her.

"Come, I would like to show your parents around. Mindy, please take Miss Granger to the grand ballroom." Narcissa said. She then introduced herself to the Grangers as she simultaneously motioned Hermione to follow the house elf. Narcissa purposely sent Hermione to the ballroom knowing that her son was there already.

Hermione was confused and baffled as to why she was not included in the manor tour. She felt a tug on her dress from the small house elf as she was pulled to the grand ballroom.

* * *

-Present-

After talking to her parents about the house tour, Hermione walked back to where William and Draco were waiting. William greeted her with a warm smile.

"Ah. You're back. Ready for the exclusive tour of the Malfoy Manor?" William said to Hermione with a smirk.

Hermione smiled. "Of course. Will you be joining us?"

Hearing and seeing Hermione interact with William so kindly, Draco clenched his fist and turned away from them. William glanced over to Draco and noticed his blonde friend's attitude and smirked even further.

"Unfortunately, I can't accompany you two. I have some matters to attend. See you later. Make sure you guys come back in time for the luncheon." William waved at them goodbye and nudged Draco closer to Hermione causing the young man to glare at him once again.

He stood rooted to the spot as he glared at the William's head as he walked away without a care. Without turning towards her, he could feel her presence there next to him. He wasn't sure what to do now. The whole situation felt excruciatingly uncomfortable which made his mood even more sour.

Hermione watched Draco's friend go and turned her attention to Draco who hadn't looked at her since she got back. She stood there awkwardly not sure what to say.

"So-" She started.

"Follow me." Draco interrupted her and walked off down the hallway not looking back. Hermione was stunned momentarily, gathered her thoughts, and quickly chased after the Slytherin into his family's manor.

...

Stepping into the grand ballroom, her heels clicked against the elegant marble floor. She looked around slightly searching for a dark haired fellow. Not sure what she was going to do if she found him, but old habits die hard and she couldn't stop herself. As her search came up empty, she lifted her head up high and straightened her posture like she'd always been taught. She took a deep breath and stepped even more into the ballroom.

"Scarlet Knightly. I haven't seen you in a long time and you have grown up beautifully." She heard a voice to her right. She turned and smiled although feeling a bit disappointed when it wasn't a certain dark haired Slytherin.

"Will. How nice to see you. You flatter me. You look very well yourself." She complimented the friend she hadn't seen in a while. Before she had fallen for Blaise, William was her first crush. Seeing her former crush in the flesh, her heart skipped a beat seeing how handsome he had become. She had seen his pictures on the paper media, but seeing him in person was a whole different thing.

At that very moment, the dark haired man she searched for stepped into the ballroom. His eyes automatically found their target unconsciously. He narrowed them when he saw her smile to the well known Healer. He also knew of her crush when they were younger. When they were smaller, he and Draco made fun of her for liking the older boy.

When he went to Draco's house when they were young, Blaise would see him more often than Scarlet would. As they grew older, they didn't hang out at Malfoy Manor as often as they did when they were younger so he didn't see him that much. Only when his parents had required activities such as these.

Since the day at Zabini Manor, he hadn't seen Scarlet in person, but his mind kept flashing to her forlorn face when they officially broke off the engagement. The days up to this luncheon he felt as he lost something very dear to him. Something he had always taken for granted. Something that was always there, always so stable, always having his back, was now gone. Now he had lost it, he doesn't know if he will ever have it back. These feelings were so strong; Blaise's mind didn't dwell on his Hermione Granger rejection. He now knows that there was something his heart feels for even deeper within.

Blaise adjusted himself and carried his best Zabini smile and made his way over to the two.

"How are my two favorite people doing? Will, I haven't seen you at one of Mrs. Malfoy's luncheon in a while. Nice to see you are still alive." Blaise said when he reached them.

Scarlet's heart almost jumped out of her chest when she heard the voice that tormented her dreams the last few days. Her parents were worried about her well being as she hadn't been eating or sleeping well. Unable to reject Mrs. Malfoy's yearly luncheon, they fretted over her and told her she didn't have to go. Scarlet reassured them that she was fine, but now she knew it was just a cover for her parents and herself. She was not fine. Her heart swelled in pain when she heard his voice. Tears began to glisten in her eyes. She didn't see his face yet because she was afraid she might break if she did. Scarlet moved to avoid his eyes.

William saw Blaise stare intently at Scarlet who turned away from him. He noticed the heartbreak in her face when she heard his voice. Seeing the effect the Slytherin boy had on Scarlet, he tried to help her out so he greeted Blaise and drew his attention to him. Pulling Blaise away from Scarlet's direction, he actively spoke to his younger friend.

"Blaise! How have you been? I've been busy the last few times. But this year, there is something interesting happening with both my good friends, Blaise and Draco. So I had to come." William strapped his arm around Blaise's shoulder and drew him close. William said with a knowing grin as he said the last part quietly so only Blaise could hear.

Blaise's smile dropped a little and glanced at his older friend. "What are you talking about?" He feigned not knowing what he was talking about.

"Engagement. Scarlet." William spelled it out to him.

"How did you-" Blaise started to ask him baffled. It just happened so recently. He knew it was going to be known, but he didn't predict it to be this early.

"I have my sources." He smirked and lifted his arm off Blaise's shoulder. He then patted Blaise's head which caused the Head Boy to bob his head in rhythm. "You two are too much fun." He said outloud and mainly to himself.

"I'll leave you guys to it then." He knew Scarlet was a smart and strong girl and she had probably steeled herself to face Blaise by now. William smiled knowing how awkward it was going to be for Blaise.

He laughed in his head at how oblivious Blaise was to his feelings with Scarlet. When they were younger, he knew that Scarlet had a little crush on him and the boys made fun of her because of it. Blaise much more than Draco. Draco got bored of it quickly, but Blaise was extra sour about it. He had also seen his longing glances at her as they grew up, but Blaise hid his feelings away around the time he was in his second year in Hogwarts. Boys during that age made fun of each other for feeling emotions like love and affection. As the years went by, he had buried his feelings for Scarlet and covered them with shallow relationships with numerous girls.

William sighed and shook his head at the situation the two younger boys were in. With a smirk, he walked away to continue his task at greeting more people as they came in.

...

A few minutes later, Harry and his parents arrived at the Manor via the Floo. He brushed the green soot off his clothes and entered the main hall behind his parents. As he walked through the halls, he silently admired the grandeur of the place and its decoration. His dad was a pureblood also, but his taste in style was completely different from this. Harry walked down the halls behind his parents who were chatting about topics he wasn't familiar with so he tuned them out. His eyes widened with interest as he saw a group of familiar redheads in few feet in front of them.

In the past, his eyes would automatically find Ron, his best friend, in the large family, but this time he was drawn to a long attractive red head of hair belonging to a certain Ginny Weasley. It surprised him that he would search for her over his best friend, but Harry would have to admit that Ginny has made her way into his heart bit by bit. Since the ball and time spent in the Burrow, Harry felt himself gradually become attracted to the sporty yet feminine redhead. She was charming as she was caring. When necessary, she was strict and fair to people who deserved it. He knew she liked him, but she didn't pressure him or came on strong as some other girls would as he has experienced before. Harry couldn't believe he had just now started to see her more than a friend, but thankfully he was able to now.

He heard his parents call up to the familiar redheads causing all of them to turn their way. His heart fluttered when he saw Ginny's face light up even more when she saw him and waved him over. Harry grinned and waved back at them as he walked towards the family he was so close with.

...

Two pairs of footsteps could be heard in the empty halls as they walked further and further way from the hustle and bustle of the now crowded grand ballroom. No conversation was held between them other than the short names of each room they passed spoken by the Slytherin and the light nods from the Gryffindor.

On one hand, Draco desperately wanted to end the tour that his now-no-longer-welcomed-near-him friend so graciously offered Hermione without his consent. On the other hand, he wanted to prolong the time he was with her, but he was unsure what to go on about with her. They weren't considered friends...were they?...If only he didn't cowardly leave that night at the ball when she removed her mask, maybe things would be different now. Draco growled audibly in displeasure at his conflicting thoughts and feelings.

His growl didn't go unnoticed as Hermione frowned inwardly to what she believed to be Draco's apparent displeasure in showing her around. She felt that he wasn't very pleased with her presence. His present behavior was a polar opposite to the friendly and charming personality she witnessed the dinner at her house. Earlier in the tour, she had tried to start up a light conversation like a civilized person would but all she got back from him were either silence or short one word answers. Then she gave up after her several failed attempts.

Draco couldn't help but curse inwardly at his failed attempts to continue Hermione's questions when she spoke to him earlier. His behavior shifted to his default mode and answered her questions with close ended answers with no opportunity to continue the topic. As he walked along the hall, he thought of a brilliant idea remembering that one of her favorite hobbies were reading as he reminded himself seeing Hermione always with books on her person at Hogwarts along with the backing of the conversation he had with her at her house. Proud of himself for thinking such a wonderful idea, he quickened his pace to the room he knew she would be delighted in.

Surprised at the sudden change of pace, Hermione watched Draco in confusion as she hastily matched his speed tailing behind him. She was able to catch a glimpse of a small smile on his face before he turned away from her and she couldn't see his face anymore. He abruptly stopped in front a large two door entrance not as grand as the ballroom's entrance doors but bigger than the regular bedroom doors. She stopped behind him just inches away from his back. She glanced up and released a breath of awe as she admired the sportsmanship of the wood work and the brilliance of the large tall doors.

Feeling the small breath of air on his neck, Draco shivered with pleasure. He felt his insides tingle as he thought of things he would want to do to Hermione at that very moment. Shaking his head to rid of his dirty thoughts, he took a few deep breaths and muttered the password. The doors opened revealing a large library that would rival the one in Hogwarts. Instead of Madam Prince, there was a house elf there in charge of the book keeping and tidiness of the library. He smirked knowing that without turning around he knew what her face would look like. He still turned because he wanted to see the real thing over his imagination. Like he imagined, her beautiful face adorned an expression of awe and wonder.

"You can look around, if you'd like." He said to her.

Hermione stared at Draco with astonishment because of the library and that he spoke to her finally. "You don't mind?" She asked eager to look through the collections of book the notorious pureblood household carried.

"Knock yourself out." He said then smiled.

Seeing his smile for the first time that day, Hermione's heart skipped a beat as her mind was again confused with this creature before her named Draco Malfoy. One second, he's cold and uncaring and the next, he was charming and warm. She didn't understand it.

She walked along the shelves going admiring the way the books were kept and organized knowing they were most likely centuries old. She saw a book that piqued her interest and automatically her hand moved to reach for it, but she paused and looked questionably at Draco who nodded simply. She smiled with glee and excitedly and gingerly pulled the book from the shelf. She began to flip through it to scan its contents.

Draco took this time to admire that girl that stole his heart. He was in turmoil as he couldn't figure how he would converse with her. They spent the majority of the years in school as enemies. Now he had feelings for her, what was he supposed to do？He continued to look on at her as she peacefully scanned the book she chose. As a force of habit, he ran his hand through his hair unconsciously as his mind dwelled on about the girl before him. Suddenly, she glanced up at him from the book catching him by surprise. He turned his head away obviously avoiding his glare. He closed his eyes in frustration at his own weak resolve and cowardice.

As Hermione scanned through the book, she felt eyes on her. Trying to ignore his stare burrowing into her, she continued flipping through the book; but unable to take it anymore, she challenged him and looked up from the book. She won immediately when he avoided her eyes. Hermione noticed his hair was more natural now as she saw a few strands of his golden hair hang before his face.

Before she could stop herself, she closed her distance between them with the book still in one hand as her other hand automatically reached up to his hair. She gently moved his hair away from his eyes causing him to turn back and face her. His eyes widen with shock as his eyes finally met hers unable to comprehend what compelled her to do this for him.

She smiled to him gently, but finally understood what she had just done. It was uncharacteristic of her, but she couldn't stop herself. She quickly tried to pull her hand away in embarrassment, but suddenly she felt him grasp her wrist preventing her from doing so. Hermione gasped in shock and tried to pull her hand away again, but it didn't budge from his grip. His stormy eyes bore into hers as if trying to read her. She felt uncomfortable and she wasn't helping herself any as a scene of what she imagined earlier before their tour flashed through her mind. Clutching the book tighter against her, Hermione's heart began to quicken as she grew hot under his unrelenting stare.

Draco felt he should just tell her. Now that he has a hold of her, he should just blurt it out. It was now or never. He wouldn't be in so much turmoil if he did, right? It would lift some weight off his shoulder, right?... _Ah, fuck it._ He thought to himself.

"Granger, I have something to say."

 **A/N: Sorry for not updating last week. My creative juices weren't flowing and I didn't want to post a mediocre chapter. I hope you understand and forgive me. But thankfully this week, I was able to squeeze some out of me so I hope you like it! Sorry, if you guys are mainly here for DraMione drama, but I felt it wouldn't be fair if I didn't mention Blaise, Scarlet, Harry and Ginny. Did you guys like William in this chapter or did he come on too strong? Would love to hear from you guys. Thoughts and critiques are appreciated but not required!**

 **Soda resolution still going well! One Puncchh!**

 **Haven't seen Beauty and the Beast yet. Heard mainly good things about it so I want to see it soon. I'm sad some parents are against showing their children the movie because there is a gay character in it. It's not like they are gonna turn homosexual from watching it. Well, that's just my opinion. So yeah...**

 **Well anyways, thanks a bunch for reading!**

 **Cheers.**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	20. Chapter 20: Closer

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot

Ch. 20: Closer

"Granger, I have something to say." Draco said with determination while holding Hermione wrist tight but with care. "Listen. I don't know why, but I like-"

"Here we are at our library. Our collection of books may not be much, but we are constantly adding new and interesting ones to it. Ah. Seems like someone is here already." The voice of Narcissa Malfoy was heard clearly throughout the large room the two teenagers currently occupied.

Draco groaned and cursed inwardly at his mother's horrible timing. He reluctantly loosened his grip on Hermione's wrist, but his stormy gray eyes didn't leave her confused honey brown ones. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her alluring features.

"Malfoy. What did you want to say?" Hermione said to him also unable to break her gaze. The ghostly imprint of his hand on her wrist lingered when he released her. She felt as if he was going to say something very important. Somewhere in the realm of romance? Maybe mum was right. He might have feelings for her? She grew hopeful as she watched him hesitate to speak. Her heart beated loudly against her chest waiting silently in anticipation. As each excruciating second passed, wariness and doubt started to creep into her.

Draco searched her confused yet hopeful eyes. He gulped and started again despite the new occupants in the library. "I like-"

"This library is enormous! I'm sure Hermione would love this place. Wouldn't she, Richard?" June Granger's voice resonated through the room.

The blonde's eyes widen in surprise as he was interrupted the second time. He groaned again and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. This obviously wasn't the right time. He spoke again to cover any suspicion. "I like this new book of spells. I'm sure you will enjoy it as well. Take it with you."

With a snap of his fingers, one of the newer books in the library's collection flew over quickly to them within a second. This was one of the few nameless spells he was proud to master. It may be an useless spell to others, but to an avid reader like him he was happy with it. The book floated onto his outstretched hand and he graciously handed it to her. Then without a word, he turned to walk out to where his mother and the older Grangers were.

Disappointed, she watched him turn behind one of the countless tall bookshelves and disappear out of her sight. Hermione looked down at the book he gave her along with the one she was already holding. Returning the previous book she was holding back in its place, she studied the new one in her hands. The title did look interesting like he said, but something told her that it wasn't what he originally intended to tell her.

If they had a few more seconds alone, would the outcome be different? She stared at the book while contemplating, but shook her head reminding herself her parents were now here. Opening her purse where she conveniently placed an undetectable extension charm, she carefully placed the large book in the compartment where she currently kept a few other reading materials. Making sure it was secure, she followed the same way as Draco had gone to where the others were.

She was pleasantly surprised to see the oddest group of four people chatting about as if they were friends for a long time. Admiring the gentle smile on Draco's face, she silently walked up to them not wanting to interrupt them. Busy looking at the Slytherin, Hermione didn't see Narcissa Malfoy's quick flicker of the eyes and the knowing smile that crept up on her charming face.

"Nice to have you join us, Ms. Granger. I have had a wonderful time showing your parents around. I hope you had an equally nice time with Draco." Narcissa said bringing attention to everyone else that Hermione was there. They all faced to turn to her.

"Yes. Thank you. Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione said pleasantly. She stepped up beside her parents who each gave her a quick hug. A house elf suddenly appeared in front of them causing the older Grangers to jump, but later laugh at their own silly reaction. It notified the five it was time to go back to the ballroom and thus they went. Walking back to the room, the pair of Malfoys were in front leading the pack while the Grangers followed.

Away from earshot, Narcissa asked Draco if he did anything during their time alone. Draco denied it easily and refrained from speaking any further. This felt odd to Narcissa as she thought back to the way Hermione had looked at her son a few moments before. It was definitely an affectionate gaze; she just knew it. Then she realised it, the Granger girl also mutually liked her son. Mrs. Malfoy smiled at her son who looked at her with confusion, but didn't ask about the reason behind her smile as they reached the grand ballroom. The five bid their goodbyes and went to their respective tables before the fundraiser lunch began.

Draco begrudgingly sat at his seat in the head table and glanced back to where his mom assigned the Grangers' seats. Seeing Hermione laugh and smile heartily with her friends who she found near her table made him grin, her smile and laughter was contagious. Coincidentally, she turned his way and their eyes met.

She smiled to him politely with a slight nod of her head and turned back to her friends. Unaware of the faint blush on Hermione's cheek as she turned away, the quick second of her acknowledgment of him surprised him. He wasn't fast enough to look away, but another thing weighed in his mind. Her smile to him was different than the smile she gave her friends. He also wanted her to be more open and free towards him like the way she was with her friends. Although he did see it once, it was the time they played games at her house, but it must have been because she was around her parents.

He heard his parents stand up and announce the start of the fundraiser. It was in the form of an auction. Instead of paddles with numbers, everyone had their wands out ready. When they wanted to make an offer, the wizards and witches spoke a specific spell which the wands shot out a ray of light in colors preferred by the owner of the wand towards the auction stand. The stand displayed the name of the spell's owner and the amount they had in mind in elegant readable cursive font and color of gold. There was also an announcer who quickly announced each bid with the name of the bidder.

The auction went by as normal as it was for Draco with numerous bidders for each ancient antiques his parents managed to whip up. He was rather bored with it until an certain item appeared that made him gasp in horror. He heard the crowd go "aww" and "so adorable" along with some chuckles from the direction of the Wealseys and Potters section of the room which added on to his feeling of dread.

It was a large framed photo of him! Well, not just him. Blaise, Scarlet, and William were in the photograph as well. The younger three of them were around the age of five and William, ten. It was a candid photograph of them on their broomsticks flying around laughing without a care in the world. William was standing in the grass holding a broomstick in his hand grinning up to the three like a proud mother bear.

Draco glanced over at the three other people in the room who also carried the look of bewilderment with their wands at the ready. They weren't going to let anyone they didn't know take this photo home; however, they did want to claim it as their own. Before the announcer could finish saying, "The bidding will now start", flashes of silver, green, blue, and gold from the four wands shot through the room trying to claim the photo as their own. There were some random other bids from others who tried but was over bid quickly by the four.

The spell was repeatedly casted at the auction stand as they tried to make the highest bid to win the photograph for their own individual reasons. The rapid fires of the spells were so fast the announcer couldn't keep up until the bid was so high Blaise and William backed out. It was ridiculous high for a photograph of children, but Mrs. Malfoy knew of ways to garner high donations for the charity she was supporting. She smiled politely with hint of mischievousness as she watched the four grown children fight over this item. She had already predicted this situation easily as she knew the four children's personalities well.

Finally, it was between Draco and Scarlet. Draco eventually backed down as courtesy for Scarlet to be the final bidder at 108,000 Galleons. The announcer started to count down the three seconds for Scarlet to be claimed the owner of the photograph until they saw a single flash of burgundy hit the stand. The bid read "108,001 Galleons for Hermione Granger".

Shocking everyone speechless, they all turned toward the source of the spell and stared wide eyed at the spell caster. The three seconds count were up before Scarlet could regain her senses and bid again, but the framed photograph was already claimed as Hermione's. She saw Hermione laugh in delight from her win as she high fived her both parents who mirrored her laughter. It seemed that the Grangers did very well as muggles teeth healers if they could afford to spend that much on a photograph. Scarlet saw Hermione look at her and mouthed the word "sorry". She giggled at her friend and shook her head in response that she didn't have to worry about it.

The next item was brought out and an excited shriek was heard from Hermione's direction. Draco glanced her way and saw her peer at it with admiration, desire, and later determination. It was a first edition of Hogwarts, A History previously owned by Bathilda Bagshot, the author, and her own extra side notes in it. It was a very unique and one of a kind item. His mother never ceased to surprise him. Where she obtained it from. He would never know.

When the bidding started, it was obvious that Hermione would bid for the book. Her biggest competition was an elderly old man known for his collection of prized books. The bid continued on until it was in the 100,000 Galleons range again.

He saw that Hermione seemed frantic and desperate but eventually set down her wand sadly. Her parents patted her back to reassure her and she smiled back at them. When the elderly wizard was about to be announced the winner of the bid, Draco quickly casted a spell at the stand shocking the audience once again. He was announced the winner as the elderly man had set his wand down earlier believing he was the definite winner of the book and was unable to cast a spell fast enough to counter towards the auction stand.

Draco wasn't entirely sure what compelled him to do that. But now, he was the owner of another blasted Hogwarts, A History book. He barely finished reading through his own copy once. Draco leaned back on his chair with a groan and ran his hand through his hair again.

The rest of the fundraiser went by without much excitement. Lunch was prepared and enjoyed by everyone. The auction items were scheduled to be sent to the winner's home later in the day via owl mail. Everyone said their goodbyes as they headed out the way they came. The host family stood at the door of the room to thank everyone for coming as everyone left; well, Mrs. Malfoy thanked them while her boys stood there silently.

* * *

Only a few days left until it was back to Hogwarts again, Draco sat haphazardly in his arm chair in his bedroom. He absentmindedly waved his wand around causing the neatly placed paper on his desk to float upwards and dance around in circles until he lowered his wand as it settled itself back down on the desk. Then the cycle continued. His mind was wandering back to the time he almost confessed that day and the way she smiled differently to her friends. If he had confessed to her, would she smile the same way to him? Draco placed his wand on his armrest with a heavy sigh.

A thought popped into his mind. An advice he heard William say once to Blaise when they were younger: "If you want a girl to like you, you have start by being kind to her. Get to know her better." That was all he remembered. And without second guessing, he walked to his desk and started to write a letter to the girl on his mind. After giving the letter to Blade, he felt an emotion foreign to him: anxiousness. Waiting by his window for what felt like hours, he started to doubt himself. Why would she write back? It's not like they were friends. Were they? Then he saw his faithful owl out in the distance and he smiled for the first time that day.

When Blade swooped in and dropped the letter in Draco's hands, Draco gave him a huge helping of snacks and opened the envelope eagerly. Her feminine but neat handwriting was a welcoming sight to his eyes. His letter just carried simple remarks about the break, the ball, and the book.

He guffawed uncharacteristically when he read that her parents, particularly, her father was the one who desired the photograph during the auction. She felt bad that she won the item from Scarlet right at the last second, but Richard was so fascinated about the subject of flying he wanted something that depicted it. Not to mention, the proceeds went to a good cause. Her message was much longer and detailed than his.

As he read the rest of the letter, he could sense the enthusiasm and bright personality in her words while a smile lingered on his face.

* * *

The first week back to Hogwarts was a blur. Everyone was excited to see their friends again, but most weren't about classes starting again. Since the day Draco wrote to Hermione, they exchanged letters everyday for the rest of the break. The day she saw Blade swoop into her room surprised Hermione. She didn't expect to receive a letter from him. Being civil no less, but she was otherwise delighted. In their letters, they learned more about each other while joking around. Draco surprisingly had a great sense of humor.

When they met for the first time at the train station since writing to each other, it was awkward at first but they were able to break the ice easily and talk comfortably. They still referred to each other with their surnames. They were so customed to it that they didn't mind. Hermione did notice; however, Draco wasn't as friendly and open to people he wasn't familiar with. I mean it took her several years until they finally spoke like normal people or dare she say it, friends. His walls go up and his defense strong as he spoke formally with strangers or people he didn't want to associate with.

What surprised Hermione a lot was that Blaise acted normally with her as if the night of the masquerade ball didn't happen. She didn't question it as she was very grateful. However, she did notice he wasn't quite himself recently and there seemed to be a tension between Scarlet and him. To Hermione, Scarlet was equally unlike herself. It worried her but it seemed both parties weren't ready to share whatever was going on between the two so Hermione didn't push for answers.

Since the train ride, Draco and Hermione were seen together more often than before. The reason was partially due to their owls wanting to spend time with each other, but now they enjoyed each other's company. Blaise, Scarlet and Draco were now a permanent part of Hermione's close friends circle. They interacted with each other as if they have been friends since first year. Looking past their prejudices and past childish behaviors, the group was now more close knit than ever.

Some other students still didn't agree with their behaviors, but stopped themselves before spouting out nonsense about then since two of one of people in the most popular group in Hogwarts were Heads. Not to mention, Ginny was pretty scary when needed to be.

...

His shoes clicked against the cold stone step as he ascended up onto the last notch of the stairway. Every step he took echoed throughout the tall astronomy tower. The sound could be heard bouncing around. The dark orange rays from the sun trickled through the windows as it began to settle down behind the far hills beyond the distance.

His heart quickened as his breath was caught at his throat as it had done every time he saw her since the beginning of term. She was leaning against the wall looking down and out the tower with a kind smile etched across her face. As he has gotten to know her more, he had come to like her more if it was even possible. His shoes gave him away as she noticed his presence and turned to him with a bright smile.

"Malfoy! You're here. I'm glad you told me about this place. It's so relaxing and quiet. I could just sit here all day and just watch the scenery." Hermione said as she took his hand and pulled him gently towards the window.

He followed her steps as he allowed himself to be pulled by her. Looking out the window, he saw the peaceful school grounds painted with the orange and yellow hue from the setting sun.

"Charcoal and Blade took off towards that direction some time ago. They should be back any minute." Hermione said as she pointed out the window. He nodded silently. They watched the sun set quietly in a comfortable silence. Draco really liked times like these where it was just the two of them. It felt pleasant and peaceful. Their alone times were special to him. Taking him by surprise, he felt her rest her head on his shoulder as she continued to admire the scenery. He didn't move away from her and enjoyed the new contact. Trying to stay as still as he could, he was afraid if he even twitched a little she would move away.

"This year has been so different." She started to say without looking up. He agreed with a "umhumm". She felt his heart beat in rhythm as she leaned on him. It felt different than when she does the same thing with Harry and Ron. It felt more comfortable, but she could feel her heart quicken as soon as she touched him. Her reaction to their touch was nothing she had ever experienced before. Not in this level of intensity. Even though she felt this way, she didn't want to move away. Her body wouldn't let her move. It was like it was meant to be. It didn't seemed he minded since he didn't push her off.

"I'm glad we are friends." Hermione said without looking up. Immediately when she said the word: friends, she instantly regretted it. She didn't want to just be friends. She wanted something more than that.

His heart clenched when he heard her comment about their relationship. Yes, friends. That is all that they can be. That's the extent of their relationship. No more than that. Well, how can they be any more? He's a Malfoy and a Slytherin. He tormented her since first year. Being friends was already a miracle, an impossible feat now made possible.

"Yeah..." He said quietly and relunctantly. Hearing his response, Hermione smiled sadly but quickly covered it up with a bright smile as she continued to look out the window. The two of them stood once again in silence overlooking the castle grounds in the tall astronomy tower waiting for the return of their owls.

...

It was finally another weekend and the older students were ready to leave the castle to visit Hogsmeade. The weather was oddly warm with a nice, gentle cool breeze every now and then. Hermione was the first of her friends to arrive at the previously agreed upon meeting spot at the entrance of the school. She spent her waiting time reading one of the books Draco had recommended a few days earlier. Most of the books Draco recommended were in fact interesting. She was pleasantly surprised when she learned that she and Draco had similar taste in books. And not only just in books. They had many similar interests that didn't include flying.

"Hermione?" She heard someone call her. Seeing a pair of boots step in front of her, she made a mental note of her spot on her page she was on and looked up.

"Micheal!" She smiled to the good looking Ravenclaw. He was sporting a nice blue jacket with black slacks.

"I haven't seen you since you left me at the ball. I was abandoned." He said jokingly to her with a fake frown.

"I'm sorry. I warned you, didn't I?" She giggled at his silliness.

"Yes, you did." He nodded with a smile.

"You weren't too alone, were you?" Hermione asked with a knowing smile.

"No..." He said with a creeping blush. "I met Alice Harper that night. We are going out now." Micheal said as he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck unsure if telling her was the right move.

"Good for you! She's a nice girl. Smart girl. Sixth year Hufflepuff Prefect." Hermione nodded. Then a gust of wind swept by with a few leaves. They tried to cover their face from the leaves and the wind. But unfortunately, some dust was caught in one of Hermione's eyes. "Ah!..." She reached for her eye as she closed it shut because of the unwelcomed speck of sand.

"Let me help you." Micheal said with good intentions. He leaned closer to study her face better.

"Thanks." Hermione said as she started to feel her eye tear. She sat still waiting as he helped her. After he was done, she felt much better as she blinked her eye several times to rid of any excess dust. She looked up to Micheal with smile as she wiped away the tear the escaped from her eye.

As she was about to thank him, Hermione saw somebody grab his shoulder to turn him their way. The next thing she knew Micheal was right hooked in the face. She stood immediately and yelped in shock. She immediately identified the assaulter.

"Malfoy! What was that for?" She said as she rushed over to Micheal to see if he was alright.

Although he was still standing, Micheal was knocked backwards disoriented. He struggled to stand as he tried to make sense of what just happened. He reached up to his now starting to bruise cheek. Before he could say anything, Draco reached over and grabbed Hermione's wrist. Micheal was left standing there alone baffled and appalled at what just happened.

With Hermione following behind him, Draco pulled her along and marched down a path not caring where he was going. He couldn't hear her yelling at him to stop. He just kept replaying the Ravenclaw boy and Hermione with tears on her face. It made him even more furious when she ran to the Ravenclaw to check on his well being. He didn't deserve her concern since he made her cry in the first place. All the Slytherin blonde could see was red. He just kept walking with a firm grip on Hermione's wrist.

Feeling a heavy jerk from his occupied hand, he finally regained his senses back and realized what he had done. His feet suddenly halted at the spot as he felt Hermione bump into him with an "oomph" because of the abrupt stop. He cursed under his breath. His stupid primal instincts did it again. How was he going to explain this now?...well... she was crying... Draco wasn't sure if he wanted to turn around to face her. He winced when he heard her say his name in a harsh tone.

"Malfoy! What in the blazes is wrong with you?" Hermione asked clearly confused by her new friend's actions. "Do you have a beef with Micheal? Do you know him? What did Micheal do to you?" She continued on.

"Stop saying his name!" Not liking the fact she was saying the name of the guy who made her cry, he shouted out loud. Just at that moment, a few students walking by stared at him and then whispered to each other under their breaths who knows what. He could care less.

In his blind rage, Draco had taken them to a not well known path towards Hogsmeade. Although not many would frequent there, there were still a few students strolling by making their way to the little town.

"What? Why? How could you punch him? Out of nowhere?" She questioned incredulously. Both of them not realizing that Draco still had a hold on her wrist.

"He deserved it!" He said with anger as his fury started to build up again because she was defending a guy that didn't deserve defending.

"What? What did he do?" She asked again trying to look Draco in the face, but he wouldn't turn around.

"He made you-. Look, forget about it." He groaned when he almost said what he thought.

"How can I forget it about it? You just punched Micheal in the face!" She said as she waved her free hand in the air unable to fathom why he would do what he did.

"Stop saying his name!" He shouted again as his anger rose higher.

"Malfoy. What is wrong with you? What did Micheal do to you?" She asked again ignoring his comment about the name. She wanted to know. She wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"..." He didn't answer. How was he supposed to?

"Why did you punch him?" She nudged again.

"..." _It's because you cried! You bloody Gryffindor! You make me go crazy! I end up doing things I would never think of myself doing because of you!_ He screamed in his mind.

"Why would you punch him out of nowhere?" She asked again.

He couldn't stand it anymore. Draco turned and pulled at his hand that still held Hermione's which caused them to stand closer than they were. He saw her gasped softly as the sudden tug took her by surprise. They now faced each other for the first time since he punched the stupid Ravenclaw. He finally opened his mouth and exclaimed.

"It's because I like you, alright?! He made you cry and I got mad!" Before Draco could stop himself, his inner most thoughts were said to the person he was most afraid to tell. His eyes widen as she stood motionless and stared back with an unreadable expression.

His mind was running a mile a minute. As the ever pessimist he was, he thought of the worst. What was she going to say? Was she going to turn him down? Revoke their friendship? Be disgusted with his emotions towards her?

"You... like...me?" He heard her say slowly and quietly. His dread started to build up in place of his anger. He was more worried with what she was going to say than what the Ravenclaw did to her at the moment. "Malfoy. I don't know what to say. I'm so flattered." She said with a bashful smile. He observed her as she took in this new information. It seemed she was thinking about what to say. His coward self wanted to run away, but he was rooted to the ground immovable. He couldn't tear his eyes away. What was she going to say? The suspense was killing him.

After what seemed like forever to him, she finally said. "I...I like you too."

 **A/N: They finally confessed! Yay! I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry about the tease in the beginning. I just had to do it. Couldn't help myself. Haha. What did you guys think? Did you like it? Love to hear from you. I can't thank you guys enough for reading my story.**

 **For those of you wondering, if any, the timeline of the story is around 70% done. Maybe at the most ten more chapters. I hope I can keep your attention until the end. If not, it's fine... I will just cry in this dark corner alone. Lol Jk.**

 **Any hoo, One Punch! I have sworn off all soda now. Yay, health!**

 **I will try to update as soon as I can. Sorry for the long wait again. Well, I am off.**

 **Cheers,**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	21. Chapter 21:Everlasting

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

 **A/N: Hi all, I just to start off with saying. Sorry! Please forgive me! I haven't updated around two months! I've just been busy with my personal life and have had major writer's block. But without further ado, Enjoy!**

Chapter 21: Everlasting

After what seemed like forever to him, she finally said. "I...I like you too."

Was what he was hearing correct? This was not possible. He's was dreaming, right?... If so, he hoped he would never wake up from it. Draco thought stunned and dazed as he stared blankly at the girl who possessed both his mind and heart.

"..w-what..?" He managed to mumble out.

"I like you." Hermione said once more, but firmer with a bright smile.

All at once, the surroundings became blurry and out of focus. The only thing he could see before him was Hermione.

"You like me?!" Draco repeated back with disbelief. After seeing her nod bashfully, Draco was overwhelmed with joy. He had never felt this ecstatic before. He laughed out loud as he ran his hand through his hair, now, out of habit. He wanted to hold her... Treasure her... This girl he would have never thought he would fall for.

"Ah!" Hermione yelp with shock then laughed. Before Hermione knew it, he had picked her up and spun her around then wrapped her tightly in a hug. When they leaned out of the hug, they looked at each other with such joy and a subtle hint of shyness. Then Draco quickly realized what he had done out of the spur of the moment and set her down carefully. Scratching the nape of his neck awkwardly, he apologized quietly.

"I didn't mind." Hermione blushed. Then she remembered why they were where they were. "But you need to go back and apologize to Micheal." She said firmly. Hermione listened as he explained the misunderstanding while he grimaced at his mistake. He had punched the guy out of nowhere. Although he knew it was his fault, Draco was not looking forward to apologizing. Malfoys seldom show weakness. Apologies were a type of weakness. But right now, he was more happy than not after learning each other's mutual feelings.

"Come on then." Draco smiled affectionately to Hermione. He started to walk back towards where they came from. Purposefully slowing down his pace so Hermione's would match his, Hermione easily walked up beside him with a bright smile. He peeked sideways at her, peered down, and noticed how close their hands were.

He took a deep breath and went for it. He wrapped his hand with hers. Afraid she might pull back, Draco held in that deep breath of air. But then released it when he was pleasantly surprised by a soft squeeze of her hand. With widened eyes, he looked over at her as she looked up at him with a grin. He couldn't help but grin back widely. He thought was going to explode with happiness. They continued up the path back in comfortable silence with joined hands.

Micheal was still there, but he now sported a large bruise on the area he was punched. He was among his friends now who met up with him. Closest to him, a pretty blonde was nursing the dark bruise on his face.

"Micheal." Hermione said to catch his attention. The Ravenclaw boy turned away from his group and looked at the direction of the pair.

"Hermione. Are you alright?" He asked genuinely concerned for her well being. He wasn't sure what happened and why he was attacked all the sudden. He also wasn't sure if something was going to happen to her when she was dragged away so abruptly.

"Yes, I'm fine. But never mind me, are you okay?" Hermione worriedly questioned. She gestured at the very noticeable bruise on the handsome Ravenclaw boy's face.

"Yes. No worries. Alice is helping me with some pain killing spells." He said as he smiled lovingly at the blonde next to him. She mirrored his act and acknowledged the two as they greeted her back.

"That's a relief to hear. Also, Malfoy has something to you." Hermione added as she nudged Draco forward with the hand that held his.

Draco groaned just thinking about what he was about to do. Me and my stupid primal instinct... He blamed himself for putting himself in his current predicament. He looked at the smiling Ravenclaw boy and grimaced inwardly. He didn't think he had punched him that hard.

Feeling bad, Draco couldn't look him in the face, but mumbled: "Sorry."

Seeing how guilty Draco appeared, Micheal accepted his apology. "It's fine. Most likely a misunderstanding." Draco was surprised at how forgiving he was. If it were him, he wouldn't be as forgiving.

Hermione explained Draco's point of view and why he punched him. After listening to the story, Micheal chuckled, but winced a little from the bruise. "I guess you found someone too, Hermione." He teased.

She blushed. "I guess I did." Draco grumbled beside her because he still didn't really like the Ravenclaw as he recalled he was Hermione's date from the masquerade ball. He wasn't really fond of their friendship and the way they conversed with each other. Even with Alice beside Micheal, he didn't feel completely assured the Ravenclaw didn't have any lingering attraction towards Hermione.

Micheal, Alice, and their friends bid adieu to the pair as the large group decided to head to Hogsmeade.

Not long, Hermione and Draco's regular group of friends started to show up at their meeting point. Once everyone was present, they all started to make their way towards the small town near the school. With the girls taking the lead, the Gryffindor boys walked in a group of three behind them and the Slytherin duo tailing closely behind them. The Gryffindor boys animatedly chatted amongst themselves about sports and such while the two Slytherin males walked behind them in unusual silence.

Uncomfortable with the silence, Blaise was the first to speak up.

"So you and Hermione, huh?" He asked his blonde childhood friend. When he saw them at the meeting point, he could tell the difference in their behaviors especially towards each other. Actually, everyone knew. It was obvious. When he found out about his friend's feelings towards the Head Girl, it surprised him at first, but he was ultimately happy for Draco. Happy that he has finally found someone to cherish. Seeing the way the two were with each other after coming back from Christmas break, it was only in a matter of time.

"Yeah." Draco could only say as he directed his gaze forward unable to look his friend in the eye. He felt guilty about liking the same girl his friend liked not long before as he remembered the scene before the fountain at the ball. He wasn't sure what to do or say as they had never gone through a situation like this before.

As his best friend, Blaise understood Draco's thoughts and assured him. "If you are feeling bad about being with her, don't be. Yes, I liked Hermione before, but I've had some time to think over the break. My feelings for her were strong, but ever since breaking the engagement with Scarlet, Scar's all I can think of. I know now that she has been in my heart for a long time and I was an idiot to let her go." Blaise said to Draco as he listened quietly.

Blaise chuckled to himself. "Look at me, getting all mushy. But honestly, mate. I'm happy for you. Treat her right and if you really love her, never let her go." He said as he patted his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah. Thanks, Blaise." Draco said as he finally looked over at his friend who smiled at him. They continued their way down the path listened and occasionally contributed to the conversation the Gryffindor boys were having about the upcoming Quidditch season.

...

Walking in front the boys, the three girls were chatting amongst themselves. Once they were out of earshot, Ginny surprised Hermione with a hug.

"Oomph, w-what the.." Taken aback by the hug, she awkwardly stood there but slowly wrapped her arms around the red head still confused as of why she was doing this all the sudden.

"I'm so happy for you. Scarlet and I have been wondering when it was going to happen." Ginny said as she leaned out of their hug and hooked her right arm on Hermione's left.

"What..." Hermione said befuddled.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Hermione. For the brightest witch of our time, you sure are slow." Ginny joked. "You and Malfoy." She spelled it out for her.

"Ginny's right. For all the years I have been around Draco, I have never seen him this way towards anyone before. Not that he wasn't before, but with you, he is more gentle and kinder. It's like I'm seeing a whole new Draco Malfoy. I'm glad you guys are finally together." Scarlet agreed with Ginny as Ginny hooked her other arm on Scarlet's arm.

Their comments made her blush. "I never saw it that way. Thanks, you guys." Hermione said with a flushed face. The three walked the rest of the way linked together.

* * *

In the following week, Hermione and Draco were more inseparable than ever. The students were now more used to them together. There were less whispers and pointing as they roamed the halls, ate at the Great Hall, and hung out together. They didn't parade their new relationship in public obnoxiously like some couples have done in the past. They acted naturally with each other, but more affectionate and caring towards one another.

Seated in the library at their usual table, Hermione and Draco were sitting across from each other in comfortable silence as they were working on their respective class assignments. The scratches of the quills marking the parchments and flipping of book pages could be heard through out the large library. Several students were scattered around the library doing their own reading and writing.

Draco was reading through his Potions textbook as he glanced up to peek on Hermione as he has grown accustomed in doing for the past week. He just couldn't believe that the girl sitting before him actually accepted his feelings and felt the same way. He felt so lucky. Smiling, he adoringly gazed at her trying to capture the moment and hoping the moment and his feelings of happiness wouldn't ever end.

Hermione was concentrating heavily on her assignment as her eyes focused earnestly at the task at hand. He watched as she diligently and neatly wrote on her long parchment paper as her uniform and pristine handwriting flowed naturally on the paper word after word. He smiled wider when he saw her furrow her brows together as her fluid writing motion slowed to a stop when she approached a complicated question that required extra research. When she stopped, she finally felt eyes on herself and looked up catching Draco in the act. His eyes widened for a brief second, but continued to keep his gaze. She chuckled at him and asked why he wasn't working on his assignment.

"I just want to remember this moment forever. Us, you and me together. I'm just so content right now." He said as he placed his right hand over her left. He rubbed his thumb over her hand gently as she felt the same thrill and electric she felt whenever they make contact.

...

It was the weekend again and the group decided to have game night at the Head Dorm. Hermione had volunteered in bringing cookies as the other snacks were spread among the others.

As she walked down the long winding steps to the castle kitchen, she smirked as she had forced Draco to come along knowing how much he didn't like going to the kitchen due to his to traumatic past with the castle's kitchen house elves. She wasn't sure what happened but it must have been bad as he didn't want to get into the details of it too much. Before going to the kitchen, Blaise overheard that Draco was going to the kitchen, and so he started to laugh so hard that he couldn't stop resulting in death glares from Draco. She was dying to know the reason, but Draco insisted that it wasn't something worth sharing. Unable to ask Blaise due to his continuous laughter, they just decided to leave the Head dorm to the kitchen leaving Blaise behind.

He didn't understand why they had to go to the kitchen to get these blasted cookies. Hermione could easily just request the houseelves to bring them to their room as one of the privileges the Heads were allowed to. Sometimes he didn't understand what went on in that pretty head of hers. He sighed audibly resulting in a snicker from Hermione.

"Are you laughing at my misery, Mia?" Draco's mood brightened quickly as it has happened the past week whenever he spoke with her.

Hearing him call her by that name made Hermione's heart flutter. It was a name that he started to call her since they started their relationship. If anyone else had called her that, she would have cringed, but when it came from his lips she couldn't help but feel warm and giddy. It felt so natural.

"Of course not." She tried to stifle her snickers as she shook her head in denial, but if he saw her face, her smile would give her away immediately.

"Turn towards me and say that again." He said as he reached towards her. When she saw his arm reach over, she shrieked in delight uncharacteristically and started to run towards their destination. Sometimes she just felt and acted like a child around him unknowingly.

Draco smirked and chase after her. Being the athlete he was, he caught her in no time and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as she yelped in surprise and delight. "Trying to lie to me? It won't work and you should know that by now. I know you too well, Mia." He smiled as he whispered with his deep voice into her ear. His warm breath on her ear caused a shiver to travel down her spine and up again.

She blushed and shook her head. "N-no." She managed to say with a shaky breath.

"Oh, Mia. What am I going to do with you?" He said as he removed his arms and spun her around gently to face him. He took this opportunity to take in the girl before him. Even with some strands of hair out of place because of their chase, she was still the most charming and beautiful lady he has ever seen. Seeing her look up at him with her warm honey colored eyes, he was compelled to touch her. Lifting his right hand he reach out and caressed her cheek as she welcomed his touch by lifting her own hand to place over his. She pressed her cheek against his hand as she smiled back at him.

"Missus Granger is here again!" They heard a terrified voice next to them interrupting their intimate moment. The two stopped at their tracks and turned towards the voice. It was one of the castle's house elves. Before Hermione could say anything to the creature, it snapped its fingers and disappeared in an instant with a worried expression on its face. Most likely, to the kitchen.

Draco looked at Hermione with one of his brows raised silently questioning her.

"There was a period I started S.P.E.W...let's just say they weren't entirely happy about it." Hermione said quickly. Draco chuckled remembering what she did a few years back with S.P.E.W. He was with one of the many who thought she was starting a lost cause with trying to give the house elves the same rights as wizards. "Anyways...let's go." She said changing the subject and grabbed his hand dragging him towards the painting of a bowl of fruit. Reaching up and tickling the pear among the fruits, the pear slowly transformed into a green door-knob after laughing and squirming.

Draco dragged his feet behind her reluctantly entering the large kitchen. Several high pitched voices and whispers could be heard throughout the room with a mixture of fear, disgust, and glee.

"Mister Malfoy is back! Hurry! Find some food for him! Mister Malfoy is finally back!"

"Mister Malfoy!" "Mister Malfoy!" "You are finally back!"

"Oh no. Why is Missus Granger here?"

"No...Missus Granger..."

"Seems like you are a popular one. I'm jealous." Hermione joked to Draco. He faked a smile. He wasn't sure what he did to gain their respect and trust, but he didn't abuse them or anything just gave them some treats and small knick knacks when he saw them. He didn't think anything of it, but when he went to the castle's kitchen for the first time with Blaise, they bombarded them with so much hospitality and kindness that it scarred him. They offered so much food that never wanted to go back. And all, his so called friend, Blaise did was laugh uncontrollably watching the scene go down.

"Trust me, you don't want to be in my shoes." Draco said.

"Alright, let's get started." She started to walk over to one of tables near a stove and oven. She placed the small bag she brought with her on the table and started to pull out several ingredients as Draco watched wide-eyed. She had placed an extendable charm on the bag so she could fit everything in.

"What are you doing?" He asked afraid to hear her answer hoping she wasn't going to say what he thought she was going to say.

"We are going to bake cookies. What do you think? Just meeting the house elves?" Hermione smirked as she brought out more items from her bag. "May I borrow a pan, bowl, and a whisk?" She asked a house elf nearby who was fighting between whether to speak to Draco or hide from Hermione.

"I will, as long as Missus does not force me to accept any clothing." The house elf said bravely.

Hermione sighed. "Don't worry, I won't...for now." She whispered the last bit under her breath. She smiled at the house elf. "May I ask for your name?"

"Name's Pippy, Missus." He said braver than earlier after hearing her answer. He then left to fetch the items she asked for.

"What?! You are baking cookies? From scratch? Can't we just ask them to make them for us?" Draco asked as he looked at her incredulously.

"I'm not. _We are._ " She corrected him. "Plus seeing the faces on the people who eat it in the end is worth it. Trust me." She said as she saw him cross his arms over his chest. "Come on, Mr. Grumpy Pants." She laughed as she grabbed his arm and pulled him over to her. At that moment, Pippy came back with the asked items. "Thank you, Pippy."

"Missus need anything else?"

"I'm good, Pippy. Thank you." She answered him.

"What is Mister and Missus planning to do?" He asked curiously.

"We are baking cookies." Hermione answered matter factly.

"Pippy can do that for you. Let Pippy do it for you." He said.

"No need, Pippy. We want to do it." Hermione said. "Speak for yourself." Draco grumbled. Hermione flashed a glare at him and he stuck his tongue out at her resulting in a eye roll from her.

"No, no, no. Let Pippy."

"It's alright, Pippy." This went on for a while until Pippy couldn't do anything about Hermione's stubbornness and all he could do was stand by and watch. The other house elves clearly expressed their displeasure at Hermione's decision but knowing that they couldn't do anything about it, they left them alone.

"Draco, take this flour and sift it into the bowl." Hermione instructed him. He looked at her as if she was speaking a different language. "Sift." He continued to look confused. Taking the sieve from him, she demonstrated an example of how to do it. "It's to separate the course parts of the flour so it's more uniform when we mix it." She then handed it to Draco who relunctantly took it from her and copied her motion.

Hermione then went on to preheat the old styled oven the castle had and prepping the other ingredients to make her grandmother's recipe of chocolate chunk cookies. After he was done with his task, he signaled to Hermione. She then added the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and instructed him to mix it. Draco followed her instructions and started to mix it with great concentration. While he was mixing, he heard a sharp 'click' causing him to look up.

He saw Hermione holding what looked like a small sized camera. He had seen magical cameras before but this was new to him. It was much smaller in size compared to the ones his parents use when they take family photos. "What is that? Did you just take a picture of me?"

"This is a Muggle invention. It's called a Polaroid camera. It prints out the photo immediately and comes out from this slot." She pulled the photo from the side of the camera as it slid out from inside. "Although, I did tweak it a bit with a charm so the pictures come out the way it does with wizarding photos." She shook the film for a bit and showed him the end result. It was a photo of him holding the bowl and mixing the batter with vigor as closed his mouth tight in concentration. The picture started from him picking up the bowl and mixing it fast and the cycle continued.

"This way we can capture moments and remember them easier." She said with a smile as she looked at her first photo.

"You don't want to keep that one." Draco said as he reached for the film. He didn't want the first picture she took of him to be that. She quickly pulled her hand away and dodged his grasp.

"Yes, I do." She said as she looked at it again and smiled gently as she held it against her chest.

"No, you don't." He set the bowl down and went towards her. Sensing his determation to take it from her, she tried to run away, but due to the limited space she was trapped. Not thinking straight, she grabbed a handful of flour and threw it at him as it hit him full on his face. Draco was able to shut his eyes fast enough to stop it from getting into his eyes, but some entered his mouth as he coughed out a puff of white flour smoke. Hermione laughed at the comical scene in front of her. Never would she have thought she would see the Great Draco Malfoy like this. Not taking any chances, she snapped another picture before he moved again. Taking the film out and shaking it, she guffawed at the photo.

Draco lunged at her and grabbed her waist with one hand and reached for the picture with the other. "Okay, I give. I give!" Hermione said. "Just let me keep it. You can take one of me any way you want." She bargained.

"Any way?" He asked with a mischievous smile.

"Yes?..Although, I'm regretting it now."

"You can't take it back!" He said with a smile. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at Draco's white flour covered face.

"Sorry, I just can't take you seriously right now." She giggled.

"And whose fault is it?" He asked. "How do you work this thing?" He asked as Hermione handed him the Polaroid camera. She taught him how to use it and he was able to take one of her as a test drive.

"Okay, stand here and close your eyes." He said as he instructed her to stand near a table.

"You want me to close my eyes for the picture?" She asked with a confused look.

"Just do as I say." He said cheerfully. She furrowed her brows and closed her eyes waiting for the click sound of the button.

As she was waiting, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head that she had been feeling the past school year a few times before. She tried to contain it and grimaced inwardly so she wouldn't worry Draco. But suddenly she felt light headed and unstable, she grabbed the table to steady herself.

She opened her eyes from shock. Draco was already by her side holding her to make sure she was steady. "Are you okay? Does something hurt?" He said concerned.

"No, I'm fine. Must be just tired." She lied with a heavy heart. She didn't want him to worry. Since Hermione seemed like she didn't want to say anymore, Draco didn't push for answers.

The pain subsided and left as quickly as it came. It was strange, but she knew the Healers at St. Mungo's were currently conducting tests. She hadn't heard from them yet which is a bit worrisome. Hermione made a mental note to research in private and not raise any flags about something that hopefully wasn't a big deal. She brought her mind back to the present and smiled.

"Okay, I'm ready." She said to Draco signaling him to take a photo and then shut her eyes. With her eyes closed, she waited patiently for the click.

As she was anticipating the click, she felt a soft and warm touch on her cheek with a bit of pressure. She opened her eyes with surprise from the foreign contact. At that moment, that's when she heard the click.

Before she realized what had happened, Draco's face was no longer near hers as he was pulling the film from the camera to check the photo. It was what she thought. Draco kissed her on the cheek and as a result from his kiss, one side of her face had flour from where his face touched hers.

She blushed from Draco's bold action as she wasn't completely used to being in a relationship and skinship. But it was nice and she liked it as she smiled at Draco's actions.

"We have to put these in the oven quickly. We have to meet them soon!" Hermione said suddenly as she realized how behind they were in the schedule she had planned. After putting the cookies in the oven, they waited for them to bake.

Hermione couldn't stop looking at the photos she had taken. Draco was the same way and couldn't stop grinning. Hermione actually casted a spell to make a copy of the picture of the two of them and couldn't stop looking at it. It made her heart flutter once more as she felt herself heat up. And it wasn't because of the oven. They looked up from the pictures and their eyes met. They gazed at each other affectionately. As they smiled at each other, they thought how they were so lucky to have each other and how they never wanted this to end.

Even with these positive thoughts, Draco couldn't help but have a bad sink feeling in his gut when he was reminded of the times she fainted this year.

 **A/N:**

 **Can you guys guess what's wrong?**

 **I hope you guys liked it! I hope I didn't lose any readers from this chapter. I felt I should have at least one chapter with them being happy and lovey dovey before stuff happens. *hint hint* please don't be mad! It's just how I envisioned the story to go. Drama~~**

 **I am still going strong with no soda if anyone was wondering. :) one punchhhh!**

 **Thanks to all my lovely readers until next time!**

 **Cheers!**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust**


	22. Chapter 22: The Diagnosis

Chapter 22: The Diagnosis

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

 **A/N: Hi all,**

 **DiagonAlleyorBust here. I just want to apologize again for the slow update. I know it's been around a month or so since my last. I just want to assure you guys I will definitely finish this story no matter how long it takes! I can't guarantee that I will be able to update weekly like I did in the past though. But thank you for sticking around with me! On with the story!**

Sitting in the common room of the Head Dorm, Blaise rested on the large armchair next to the fireplace as he calmed himself from his laughing fit. He chuckled some more as he held his hand over his lips to stifle the noise. Slowly gaining his breath back, he stared into the large fireplace as the cackle from the wood burning was prominent in the room.

Blaise was not the only living thing in the room as the three usual familiars roamed around the large living space. The two dark owls stared at him with their large eyes befuddled with his peculiar behavior. Not really amused by the raven haired wizard, the orange fluff of a cat ignored him and did its own thing. Watching as their leader and big brother ignored the human, the owls followed behind Crookshanks as he wandered into Hermione's room targeting his favorite spot on the window sill.

Seeing the familiars go off on their own, Blaise smiled to himself and scoffed as he watched the embers of the fire dance around in the large fireplace. Why did he scoff to himself? A year ago, he was known throughout the student body as a player, a Casanova of you will. He would always be with someone at least every week. He was with so many that he lost count. But look at him now. He was alone in this large room pondering to himself.

Thinking of the one person that filled his thoughts. He couldn't stop no matter how hard he tried. It was impossible. She just haunted his mind and thoughts. The one girl that moved his heart. The one girl he couldn't have. The one girl that he lost all chances with. He couldn't blame it on anyone. It wasn't anyone's fault except his own. It didn't help that she frequently stopped by to hang with Hermione. He tried to play it off as if it didn't bother him. He tried to make it seem natural. After all, she was still a childhood friend.

A knock on the front door interrupted his troubled mind.

"Who is it?" He yelled towards the door. It couldn't be Hermione and Draco because they knew the password and wouldn't knock.

"It's Scarlet." He heard a gentle voice say. Her voice shocked him as he widened his eyes and stood up immediately. With just a few steps in the right direction, he found himself in the front of the entrance and uncharacteristically swung open the heavy wooden door. His heart quickened seeing her beautiful face before him. He himself could hear his own heartbeat pound loudly against his chest but he quickly hid his inner feelings expertly hoping he won't be found out.

"Scar. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He asked her as he grinned at her. His hand held his posture as he placed his weight against the door frame.

The past few weeks have been hard on her but she couldn't and wouldn't show her struggles in seeing her former betrothed. When she was around him, his mannerisms were of the norm. Based on his behavior the past weeks, she assumed that the engagement breakup didn't effect him in any way. All their friends didn't mention or prod into the lives to avoid making them uncomfortable. Even with all her pure blood upbringing and training, she struggled hard to act as normal as possible. It was hard to just forget and erase all the years of yearning and affection.

"The game night? I brought the item I was in charge of." She said with a kind smile and showing the snack she was assigned to bring.

"...Right. Please come in. You are a few minutes early." He said. Mentally cursing himself in thinking she would come to see him on her own especially since they weren't engaged anymore.

Stepping aside and opening the door wider, Scarlet walked into the large common room gracefully. She noticed the lack of occupants in the room.

"Where's Hermione?" She asked.

"She's with Draco in the kitchen."

Scarlet looked at him questionably.

"Don't ask me. I don't know what they are up to. They should be back soon." He said as he shut the door and walked back to the seat he was at. It was the first time they were alone together since the ritual. He tried to be as normal and casual as possible, but he was afraid if he was face to face with her any longer something regrettable may happen.

Scarlet stood motionless as she watched him sit near the fireplace. His side profile was just as handsome as the rest of him. She wasn't sure how she was going to forget or give up her romantic feelings for him, but she had to try.

She set her snack down gingerly on the table near the door. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small neatly wrapped box with a silver bow on top. She had it before they broke their engagement that she had planned to give him for his birthday. The box was on her being for the past week as she tried to find the right time to give it to him. Thinking now was a good time as any, she released a deep breath before walking towards him with the gift at hand.

"Blaise, I know your birthday is coming up soon. Happy Birthday. I hope you like it." She started.

He turned to see the box in her hand. "Thanks Scar. You didn't have to." He said sincerely.

Before he could stop himself, he took the gift from her hand and automatically kissed her forehead as he had done before many times in the past. He heard a soft gasp from Scarlet as his eyes widen in surprise at his own action as he pulled away. Before he could say anything, they heard the door open.

"Give me one!" Draco said as he entered the room behind Hermione shutting the door after him.

"No, you already had five. We have to share them with everyone. You're just going to eat them all. If you want more, just go down to the kitchen and make some more." Hermione denied.

"No way. You saw how they treated me down there. It's too much. Give it!" He said as he lunged for the plate of cookies in Hermione's hands. She expertly dodged him, set the cookies down on the table and casted a "do not touch" jinx in case Draco wanted to sneak some before everyone arrived.

Immediately after turning her back to the cookies, she heard a sharp "ow" and turned to see Draco nursing his hand. She smirked at him as he looked at her with feigned anger and shock.

Turning around, she noticed there was an extra occupant in the room. "Scarlet, you came!"

Scarlet turned to Hermione and nodded with a smile.

Before she could speak, the door swung open again and the rest of their group poured in. Thus, began the game night. Blaise and Scarlet didn't speak to each other that night about the forehead kiss although they were thinking about it all night so they weren't so focused in the games they were playing and kept losing. Hermione showed everyone her Polaroid and they took turns taking photos to have momentos of the night.

And so before they knew it, the dark, starry night sky slowly became bright as the morning sun slowly peeked over the mountains. Everyone was exhausted but happy. Too tired to go back to their dorm, they crashed in the Head dorm. Furnitures were transfigured to cots enough for everyone to sleep in. The guys in Blaise's room and the girls in Hermione's. All went to bed with smiling faces despite knowing the rest of the castle were soon to wake up and get ready for their day.

...

Another week went by. Draco and Hermione were inseparable. People could tell they were mad for each other. It felt like nothing could get between them. They were the happiest they have ever been.

Crossing the white, snow covered Quidditch field, the two of them could be spotted. In her thick, warm coat, Hermione walked alongside Draco with their fingers intertwined. They each had a broomstick in their other hands. The snow crunched gently under their footwear as they walked along the empty field.

"Is it really necessary for me to learn flying?" Hermione muttered unhappily.

"Yes. Since you tricked me into Muggle baking, you have to go flying." He said with a smirk.

She didn't understand how baking was equivalent to flying but she already knew Draco wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. She begrudgingly agreed as her dread built up with every step they took as they almost arrived to their desired destination. When they arrived at the spot Draco wanted to go, he patiently taught her the basics of flying and she was in the air in no time.

"In the air" was a overstatement though. Hermione's broom was only a few inches off the ground. Her feet could touch the floor if she stretched her legs. She slowly hovered over the ground and grinned at Draco who rolled his eyes at her.

He pointed up. "Higher." He said.

He motioned for her to pull up the handle. After several urges to have her go higher, she was flying exactly the height of Draco. She flew higher, but her speed was still slow. She would never fly as fast as Harry or Draco, but this speed was good enough for her. Hermione had to admit it did feel nice. The breeze in the hair would be great if they were flying in the summer time. She added a mental note to remember to fly out with him during the summer as opposed to the cold freezing winter. Draco flew slowly alongside her proud that he was able to have her fly even if it wasn't what he imagined. After a few rounds around the field, they slowly landed back on the ground.

Unsatisfied by the speed and height of her broom in the end, Draco urged her to ride behind him on his broom. He had already taken her other broom and set it flying off to his room with an useful spell he learned a few years back.

She looked wary at him, but eventually agreed after a few minutes of persuading.

"Don't go too fast." She said as she back hugged him.

She heard him chuckle but didn't answer her. As Draco began slow, she relaxed and relished in the smooth flying as she rested her head against his back. This reminded her of the other time before when Blade made Hermione sit behind Draco on his broom as he flew.

Draco felt her relax against him and his mischievous and playful side triggered. He lowered his stance towards the broom. The broom reacted quickly and sped up. The faster they flew, the tighter she held on. She shut her eyes as she shouted at Draco to slow down.

Smirking, he continued to fly in the rapid speed until they arrived in the destination he wanted to show her. They landed swiftly on the ground and dismounted. After Hermione found her bearings, she was able to take in the beautiful surrounding scenery. They were on top of a tall cliff that overlooked the castle and lake. The view was breathtaking as it rendered her speechless.

Draco smiled seeing her at awe. "Beautiful, isn't it? It's my secret spot when I need to relax or think. I've never shared this with anyone, but I really wanted to share this with you." He said as he took her hand gently.

She smiled at looked at his handsome face that was smiling back at her. She couldn't be any happier. Hermione never thought she could feel such joy and elation. They just stared into each other's eyes without a word knowing exactly what the other felt.

Suddenly, Hermione winced painfully as she felt her head constrict tighter than she had ever felt before. Before she could say anything, her vision started to blur as she felt herself starting to lose conscious. She could hear Draco calling her name desperately. She tried to tell him it was alright but without a warning, she blacked out.

Draco caught her before she hit the ground.

"Hermione! Mia!" He cried out as he tried to shake her awake.

He immediately felt a new feeling he had never experienced before: terror. How could this have happened. They were just having the best time. What is wrong?

Despite his panic, he quickly reacted, conjured a gurney and placed a spell on her so she was secured on it beside his broom. Within a few moments, he arrived in front of one of the windows of the hospital wing. He rapped hurriedly and urgently on the glass window.

The face of Madame Pomprey appeared as she opened the window after a few more frantic knocks. Before she could ask anything, he swooped in with Hermione beside him and settled her gently on one of the beds.

"Please! Help her! I don't know what happened. She just fainted all the sudden. She looked like she was in pain." He exclaimed desparately.

Madame Pomprey had never seen the blonde Slytherin in this state before. The poor boy was shaken with fear and worry. Seeing his state of panic, she shooed him out of the wing as he was no help in the process and to calm his nerves. He reluctantly left the room and stood in front of the door for a few moments as he stared aimlessly in front him.

 _Why am I so helpless? I couldn't do anything for her in her time of need._ He thought to himself.

Draco wasn't sure when he started but he felt himself walk. He didn't have a destination. He didn't know where his feet were taking him, but he just keep walking with Hermione on his mind.

Madame Pomprey performed some analysis spells and checked that there was no malnutrition. Nothing was wrong with the blood vessels, blood pressure or her heart. She was puzzled.

 _What am I missing?_ She thought to herself. As she was continued with some more tests, Dumbledore and young wizard dressed in St. Mungo's scrubs entered the room. Both carried solemn expressions on their face.

"Madame Pomprey. You don't need to do any more tests. I'm afraid we know what's wrong with Ms. Granger." Dumbledore said in a grave tone.

"Pardon?" Madame Pomprey turned towards the headmaster in confusion.

He tells her the situation as the healer next to Dumbledore carried a grim expression on his face. She stared with furrowed brows at Dumbledore.

"How is that possible?" She gasped after they finished explaining.

"There are two other cases similar to Miss Granger's in the past 80 years, but we don't know what caused it and we aren't sure if we can't cure it. Based on the progression, Miss Granger only has a few months left." The healer filled her in.

At that time, Harry entered the hospital wing holding his right hand as blood trickled down his arm. He noticed Hermione lying on the bed. Shocked, he quickly ran to her side pushing past the adults.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed as he grasped one of her limp hand. "What's wrong with her?!" He asked as he searched for any bruises or cuts that could cause her to be in the bed.

The adults didn't answer him. It wasn't their privilege to tell him of his friend's serious diagnosis. Harry took the silence as a sign of something bad and he quickly was filled with fear and panic.

Even with Dumbledore's urges, he stood beside her side unbudging with a bleeding hand that he didn't even care about anymore. No one was talking and he felt helpless. He didn't know what to do so he just waited. Madame Pomprey quickly assessed his hand and wrapped it in gauze.

After what seemed like an hour to him, he felt Hermione's hand twitch and looked at her face with concern as he saw her coming to. She woke up groggily and was surprised to see next to Harry. The last thing she remembered was that she was with Draco and the flying. She asked what happened and where Draco was. Not sure what to tell to his best friend, Harry called over the three adults.

Being the first to speak, Madame Pomprey explained about how Draco had brought her in and how she kicked him out in order to check her condition properly.

With serious and grim expressions, they tell Hermione that they finally found what was wrong with her after several weeks of tests. Seeing their expressions, Hermione gave permission for Harry to hear what they needed to say and stay beside her in case she needed him.

The Healer she recognized as the infamous William Rutherford stepped forward and waved his wand as two holographic brains appeared next to each other. One was normal and the other one had a dark mass towards the back of the brain.

"Miss Granger. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you have a magical parasite in your brain. We do not know the origin of the parasite as this is a very rare condition. There have only been two similar cases since the past 80 years. Wizards and witches' brains are different from muggles. We have two cerebellums. One functions the coordination like the muggles do but for wizards, the other is where the magical ability stems from. This is yours." He said as he pointed to the dark mass on the second brain.

"The magical parasite is slowly eating away your magic. Once all your magic is consumed, it will no longer live as will you. I'm sorry to say that we haven't found a cure to this yet. This is a very rare case, but we currently have a team of Healers working hard on looking for a way to kill the parasite without affecting you." He said firmly.

Harry stood there in shock as he heard that his best friend may die soon. _How can this be? There is no way. She's perfectly healthy._ He thought to himself as he gripped Hermione's hand tight to assure her. Inside, he was very afraid for her. He had never been so scared, but he released Hermione must feel even worse.

 _I have to stay strong for her. I must not show how I really feel._ He thought. He looked at her as she carried an unreadable expression, but he could feel her shake. After a long while of silence, he heard her speak.

"How long?" She asked quietly.

"5 months maximum." William said grimly.

"5 months..." She said as she looked down at her hand. Harry's hand was still holding hers. She saw him grip her hand tight, but she couldn't feel it. Her senses weren't functioning as she went numb. She heard William talk some more about weekly check ups but she couldn't comprehend it anymore. It was too much at once.

 _P_ _arasite? It must be a mistake. Some sick joke?_ She thought to herself.

She finally snapped out of it when she saw Harry's face right in front of hers. "Hermione? We are going to get through this. They will find a cure." Harry said with a firm expression but his voice betrayed him as she heard a chink in his armor which gave away his panic inside.

"I won't tell anyone unless you want me to, alright? But what about Malfoy? Are you going to tell him? Should I go get him?"

"NO!" She yelled quickly shaking her head. She didn't want to see his face in pain. She couldn't burden him and couldn't let him waste time with her. It wasn't fair for him.

Knowing him, he would know something was wrong if she just tried to break up with him naturally. So she thought it would be better that he hated her. She believed it would be less painful for him even if it was cruel.

He was a delicate and kind soul even if it seemed like he wasn't to others. He was better off without her. She wanted him to be happy even if it meant with someone else. Tears silently trickled down her face as she couldn't bear to leave him. Even the thought of it made her heart ache. She was afraid. Afraid to leave him more than dying.

She asked Harry to help her lie to Draco.

Seeing how awful it was making her feel, he asked worriedly. "You sure you want to do this, Hermione?"

She nodded with weak and fake smile as she tried to dry her tears not knowing when Draco may come. "Please, Harry."

Harry knew this was a bad idea but he couldn't deny her. What was he supposed to do? What was the right thing to do?

Dumbledore and William left the hospital wing and made their way to the headmaster's office. It had the only working fireplace for the Floo.

Draco was walking slowly up the steps. Each step felt heavier than the other. He couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

Deciding to go back towards the hospital wing, he ran into Dumbledore and William by chance. Acknowledging Dumbledore with a nod, Draco did a double take when he saw his childhood friend next to the elder wizard.

"Will? What are you doing here?" He asked with genuine concern.

"I have a patient here." He said simply as he tried to avoid Draco's gaze. William knew that Draco was dating the Granger girl. He heard it from Mrs. Malfoy when she came by for a routine check up as she was thrilled that Draco was dating her and how happy her son sounded from his letters.

"A patient?..." Draco repeated.

"Yes. She had some test results I had to disclose with her." William said. Before he could stop himself, he cursed inwardly as he felt he said too much.

"She?" Draco repeated again.

"I'll be going then. See you later." William said leaving Draco rooted in his spot confused. Draco felt it was peculiar that he was there but decided it wasn't his business as he continurd his way back to the hospital wing.

Seeing a conscious Hermione and Harry with a bandaged hand, Draco smiled and sighed with relief.

"Mia. You are alright. I'm so glad. I was so worried." He stated as he walked over and gently reached for her hand.

Hermione pushed him away roughly. Draco looked at her confused. Something was wrong. She wasn't looking at him the way she has been.

"Malfoy." Her gaze was lifeless as she emotionlessly said his last name. Something was up. Why was she calling him by his last name.

"Mia, what's wrong?" He asked as he reached out to caress her face. It took every ounce of Hermione's willpower to not break down as she saw his caring and worried gaze. She slapped his hand away with a heavy heart. She had to keep this up in order for it to be believable.

"Don't call me that. It makes me sick." She said coldly.

"What are you saying?" He asked as he quickly felt himself fill up with dread.

"I'm saying don't call me that. My name is Hermione Granger not Mia. I can't believe you thought this was real. You and I can't ever be together. You are you and I am me. It's impossible for us to really fall in love. I can't believe you were so guillble. You see...This was all an elaborate prank. Harry and I made a bet to see if I could have someone from Slytherin to go out with me on their own. So thanks to you, I won." She explained.

"No, we are in love. It was real." He insisted as he grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him.

"I felt nothing. It was all just a game to me." She said with a lump in her throat as she tried to look everywhere else but his stormy gray eyes.

"You are lying! Look into my eyes and try to tell me it wasn't real." He said as he held her firmly in front of him. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she forced herself to look into the eyes she truly fell for and lied.

"It wasn't real." She said with a grimace. She quickly made herself look emotionless. With a heavy heart, she pushed her love away from her extending the distance between them.

"You're lying! Harry. It's not true, right?!" Draco looked at Harry with a pained and defeated expression.

Harry couldn't meet his gaze and didn't say anything. He felt so torn at seeing both his best friend and now close friend so hurt. Draco took it as confirmation to Hermione's claims.

"Now you know the truth...leave." She said coldly as she turned away from him. She couldn't bear to see his hurt expression any longer.

 _Please leave and forget me. I can't make you happy anymore._ She begged inwardly.

She bit her lips to stop her sobs from surfacing. Trying hard to stop her tears from falling, she gripped her bed sheets tight as her knuckles slowly began to turn white.

Draco didn't notice the crack in her voice in the end as he slowly felt himself become dull from what he just heard. He couldn't believe it. He numbly turned around and walked out the door.

Feeling droplets of water drip on his arm, he reached up to his face and realized he was crying.

A/n:

So? Hope you liked it! I'm wondering if it was sad enough. I wanted it to be cry worthy. If not, I'll do better next time! Thanks again for reading.

One punch! Have a nice remainder of the summer!

Cheers!

DiagonAlleyorBust


	23. Chapter 23: Plea

Chapter 23: Plea

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by J.K Rowling except for the plot.

 **A/N: Wow, more than 100 followers! I'm so happy that so many people enjoy reading my story. I didn't expect much when I started but I'm glad you guys like it so much. Sorry for the very late update.**

Draco didn't notice the crack in her voice in the end as he slowly felt himself become dull from what he just heard. He couldn't believe it. He numbly turned around and walked out the door.

Feeling droplets of water drip on his arm, he reached up to his face and realized he was crying.

He fiercely wiped the foreign objects off his cheeks. His mind was blank. _How could this be? Everything was fake? There is no way._ He thought to himself. His emotions were raw. He had never felt this way before. His mind flashed back to what she said just moments ago. He angrily shook his head. _No, I can't just leave like this._ He thought bitterly.

As he was about to push the doors to the hospital wing, Harry walked out carrying an expressionless face. He tried to move past him but Harry stopped him from doing so.

"Move Potter, before I make you." Draco said forcibly. All his emotions pointed towards anger. He was angry that he was made into a fool. He was angry Potter was not letting him through. He wanted answers. Something was awry.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Harry replied avoiding his glare. He couldn't look at Draco in the eye afraid he might spill the truth.

"Move." Draco repeated with determination.

Despite Harry's mixed feelings about the situation, he stood still and unbudging trying to protect his dear friends from any further heartbreak. With troubled emotions, he took out his wand and performed a powerful shield in front of him preventing Draco from walking any closer.

Draco tried all the spells he knew to take down the shield but he was unsuccessful. His mind was too muddled and furious to think clearly. Finally after a long series of more unsuccessful spells, Draco gave up and violently stomped away. He didn't know where his feet were taking him but eventually he found himself in his dorm room. His dorm mates were nowhere to be seen. Not caring where they were he welcomed the darkness.

His gray stormy eyes roamed angrily around the dark room that mirrored his current emotions. Spotting the Polaroid photos of Hermione and him that he kept carefully on his night stand, he quickly marched over next to it. In a fit of rage, Draco lowered both arms and swiped at the objects on his night stand causing most of the larger things to fall and scatter on the floor of the room. The photos although shifted from its original position stubbornly stayed on the nightstand as if mocking him.

He picked up the photos with both hands and made to motions to crumble it but his hands shook and fought against his mind. He gave up and sat on his bed still holding the photos. For the rest of the night, he stared deeply at the smiling faces of both Hermione and himself with complex emotions.

...

"Thank you for coming despite your condition." The headmaster said with a serious tone as Hermione and Harry entered his office. Hermione's arms wrapped tightly around the folder that contained her diagnosis. Her illness didn't seem real until Madame Pomprey handed the folder containing St. Mungo's seal on top. After Draco left the hospital wing, everything didn't seem real. _Was everything really over? She didn't want to believe it. Just a week ago, everything was fine, but it's better this way._ She thought depressed.

 _Is there really no treatment? No. I won't accept it. I will fight even if the chances are slim._ She thought to herself. Her head ached once more as she slightly grimaced at the pain to not worry Harry who kept glancing over at her with concern. They walked forward to reduce the distance between them and the headmaster's desk.

Hermione wasn't surprised to see that Blaise was already there sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk with a confused and concerned look. Dumbledore had already explained that it was necessary for Blaise to know in order for him to cover for her when she was to go to her weekly checkups at St. Mungo's. She trusted him enough that he wouldn't tell Draco despite being his best friend if she asked him to keep her secret from him.

She carried a solemn expression as she listened to Dumbledore disclosing her condition to Blaise.

Blaise stood up from his seat in protest.

"How can she have this-this illness you are saying? She doesn't even look sick! How is this possible?" Blaise exclaimed, wide-eyed with a look of shock and disbelief. No one answered him, but from the looks of the other occupants in the room, he knew it wasn't a fluke. This was real.

"Hermione, we will find a solution. I will help you with everything and anything. Any resources you need just tell me." Blaise said to her with determination.

Hermione nodded with a grim smile. "Thank you. I plan to find one."

"Does Draco know?" Blaise asked. As he saw her eyebrows knit together and her smile disappear, he knew the answer without her saying.

"Why? Shouldn't he know? He can help." Blaise asked with no malice.

"She doesn't want him to burden himself with her illness in case..." Harry answered for Hermione as he saw her hesitate to speak up.

"That doesn't make sense. He's your boyfriend. He should know." Blaise said as he turned his attention from Harry back to Hermione.

"Not anymore." Hermione said sadly.

"What do you mean 'not anymore'?!" Blaise exclaimed from bewilderment.

"I've broken it up." She said solemnly.

Harry then explained how she broke up with Draco and the reason while Blaise listened intently as his frown grew on his face. Sensing Hermione's sadness, he didn't press anymore about her recent breakup and focused on the more urgent situation at hand.

Dumbledore explained that Hermione would visit her parents after their meeting first. She then will go to St. Mungo's for her further examinations. The healers didn't have the exact days she will have to stay at St. Mungo's, but she would be informed when she is there. Blaise was going tol take up her half of the Head tasks and spread them amongst the Prefects. Her assignments from class would be sent to her daily per her request.

After the headmaster finished his explanation, he asked if there were anyone else she wanted to tell about her situation. Hermione shook her head and requested to see Ron, Ginny, Scarlet and Neville. Before they knew it, Dumbledore's house elf retrieved them in no time. They arrived in the room with confused expression looking for an answer.

Their expressions slowly turned dark and gloomy as they listened to Hermione talk. Scarlet gasped in shock and horror as she swiftly embraced her Gryffindor friend. Ginny sobbed loudly as she wrapped her arms around the two embraced girls.

"We will beat this, Hermione. We will find a cure." Ginny said as she wept and tightened her hold on the girls.

"We'll help you any way we can." Ron said firmly.

The others agreed with his comment as murmurs of "yes" could be heard throughout the room.

Hermione nodded and smiled at her dear friends. She then tells them of how she lied to Draco to keep him from knowing. She asked for them to cover for her. Her friends listened quietly with uncertainty written across their faces. Seeing Hermione beg for their cooperation, they unwilling agreed to help despite feeling uncomfortable with Hermione's decision.

...

Hermione let out a huge breath of air nervously about entering the large hospital that stood before her. She already felt broken from just learning about her diagnosis not long ago, breaking up with Draco who she believed was her soulmate, telling her friends, and finally her parents.

She didn't believe in soulmates. But she knew if she did, he was the one.

It was very hard to tell her parents who were pleasantly surprised by her unannounced visit. They were coincidentally on a three day break and had just arrived home. It was when she told her parents that she cried again with her mom as they held each other tightly. She reassured her parents that the healers, her friends and she will find a cure before it was too late.

She pushed against the heavy door frame and was welcomed by the bustling scene of the St. Mungo's hospital. Before she knew it, she stood before the healer she spoke with just a few hours ago.

"Are you ready, Ms. Granger?" Healer William Rutherford asked with his kind and determined smile.

"Yes." She nodded as she followed him into the examination room.

...

After a night of tossing and turning, Draco didn't sleep a wink. He kept replaying the scene where Hermione broke it off with him. It didn't seem right. Something was off. He couldn't just leave it like that. He couldn't just let it be. He finally found the one and he wasn't planning on losing her. After a night of contemplating, he decided he was going to talk to Hermione and have her explain exactly what was going on no matter what.

Everything was odd. He expected to see Hermione with the Gryffindors in the morning at the Great Hall, but she was nowhere to be seen. He had expected to see her laughing and joking with Harry and Ron, if her story about the bet was true, but he didn't see any of that. The usual happy group were anything but. They carried glum expressions and didn't eat as they usually did. Draco scanned the whole place, but couldn't find her anywhere.

After break, he went to find Blaise to ask her whereabouts. Ultimately, he found him coming out of the library with a handful of books.

"Blaise, there you are. I've been searching all over for you. Have you seen Hermione? Do you know where she is?" Draco asked as he approached his friend.

"No, I haven't seen her. She's out on an errand for Dumbledore." Blaise replied as he noticed the front of the one of the books was right in front of Draco. He quickly tried to cover the title of the book which read: Magical Diseases and Ailments.

Draco was quick to notice his friend's strange behavior as he glanced at the words and read them immediately. Blaise wasn't one to be interested in the magical medical field. _What was he doing with it? Why did he try to hide it from him? Was there something awry?_ Draco thought. Something felt out of place. He didn't know what and couldn't figure it out.

"What's with the book?" Draco asked curiously.

"Sorry, I have to get going. I'll talk to you later, Draco." Blaise said quickly ignoring his question completely. He swiftly climbed up the stairs leaving Draco confused and befuddled.

During the next few days, Draco looked for Hermione every chance he had, but couldn't find her anywhere. He was starting to get worried. He wanted some answers from her but he was more concerned about her whereabouts. He noticed that the normal group of friends that Hermione and he used to hang out with were found more often in the library. The Slytherin felt that it was out of the norm, but he focused on finding Hermione more.

The group of Gryffindors, Blaise and Scarlet noticed the change in Draco after they found out about Hermione. He was more frantic due to not knowing where she was. It didn't seem like he was eating well. He tended to be deep in thought during classes more often.

The girls noticed that he had bags under his eyes most likely from lack of sleep. When they approached him to ask of his wellbeing, they were countered with the question of where the Head Girl was. The conversation usually become unnatural as they try to tell him believable stories of where the Gryffindor girl might be.

Hermione finally arrived back in the grand castle after a few days. She was surprised with Draco's consistent attempts to talk to her. Unable to face him and lie to him again, she ended up choosing the uncharacteristic trait of a Gryffindor, cowardice, and began dodging him. This went on for a few days.

Coming back from the library one day, she saw Draco in the living quarters of the Head Dorm talking to Blaise. Taking large steps towards her room while holding a large book about the subject related to her illness, she tried to evade Draco before he realized she was there but that was not happening.

"Hermione." He said as he heard the door shut behind her. He stood up briskly and made to chase her before she reached her room. His voice calling her name made her break her resolve. She wanted so badly to turn around and tell him everything but she didn't want to burden him. There was no guarantee that they will find a cure and a chance she will die so she didn't want him to have that kind of burden if she did.

She quickly opened the door to her room before he reached her. With her quickened heartbeat she closed the mahogany wooden door behind her as fast as she could, she performed a lock spell on it just as she heard Draco bang on the door and call for her.

"Please, I just want to talk." Draco pleaded with her. He wanted to catch her before she disappeared into the room but it was too late. He wanted to curse the door down, but the spells that were normally set on it would prevent him from doing so.

"I know the bet is a lie. You are hiding something from me. If it was true, you wouldn't avoid me. You would be laughing at my face about the bet if it were true. Mia, just tell me. Let me share whatever burden you are afraid to tell me. I will help you with whatever it is. But I need to know what it is so I can help. So please Mia, talk to me. No matter what, I will always love you. Please." He said to the door hoping she could hear him.

Listening to his plea, Hermione's heart broke as she stood against the door. She touched the door gingerly as if she trying to reach for Draco on the other side. She wanted to hear his voice, but her resolve was shaken by him.

Unable to stand any longer, she slid down on the ground as she leaned against the door for support. Her tears slid down her cheeks and onto the book in her arms. She cried silently, biting her lips to prevent herself from making an audible sound as she clutched the large book tighter against her chest.

A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Sorry for it being shorter than normal. Thank you for reading! One more chapter to go!

One Punch!

Cheers,

DiagonAlleyorBust


	24. Chapter 24: Hope

Ch. 24: Hope

The only sounds that could be heard in Hermione's room were her barely audible sniffles as she tried to hold back her voice. She could sense that Draco was on the other side of the door. Afraid to move from her spot because she didn't trust herself to not open the door and spill everything to the Slytherin she fell for, she stayed crouched down still clutching the book against her chest. After what seemed like hours, she finally heard footsteps walk away from the door and the sound of the front door closing.

She slowly lifted herself from the ground as she made her way to her desk and slowly setting the tear stained book on the desk in her room. Hermione rested on her chair as she stared out the window trying to convince herself once again that she was doing the right thing despite everyone else's opposition to her decision. Her train of thought was interrupted by the pleasant surprise visit of Blade and Charcoal as they flew through her window and perched on her desk. Looking at the two majestic birds, they brought back bittersweet memories of Draco and her. Lifting her hand, she caressed Blade's crown as he hooted in appreciation. She smiled bitterly at the owls as she wiped her tears away.

She emerged from her room taking a break after a few hours of researching through the book she had taken to her room along with several others she already had in her room. Blaise was in the common area with books of similar topics. Noticing the sounds of her footsteps, he looked up and frowned at her.

"You alright?" He asked her worriedly.

"Yes." She said with a weak smile.

"You don't look it." He stated as he could tell the remaining redness and tiredness of her eyes. She looked so solemn and haggard.

"I'm fine." She insisted as she walked over to one of the couches and sat down on it. She stared into the fireplace that was burning brightly at the moment as he studied her face worriedly.

"Are you sure about this, Hermione? About Draco? Shouldn't he know?" Blaise asked finally as he broke the silence.

"It's best this way." She said solemnly as she kept her gaze at the burning fire. She could feel Blaise's eyes on her but made no move to look at him. The dancing embers of the fire allured and attracted her eye. Hermione contemplated over it in her room and decided ultimately, in the long run, it would be best to continue the lie.

During the time of silence, the crackling of the firewood was easily heard throughout the room. A set of frantic knocking on the entrance door broke the silence. The door swung open as Ginny and Scarlet ran into the room quickly. Ginny saw the person they were searching for and quickly pulled Hermione out of her seat.

"We found something!" Ginny smiled happily. Scarlet nodded and moved to show the Heads the book she was carrying. She flipped to the marked page and explained to them as they listened carefully. Both Blaise and Hermione slowly smiled as they listened. After Scarlet and Ginny's explanation, Hermione looked through the page once over to make sure she wasn't hearing wrong.

"I can't believe it. I think this could work. How did you-" Ginny stopped Hermione mid-sentence as she wrapped her arms around her dear friend.

"I searched through my family's library. A few of my ancestors were skilled Healers, but they didn't like sharing their findings with the public so I thought it might help I looked through their records just in case." Scarlet explained as the two Gryffindors hugged.

Hermione was released from Ginny's embrace so she then turned and pulled Scarlet into a tight and warm embrace. "Thank you. This is more than I had hoped." Hermione said truthfully as she looked into Scarlet's eyes and grinned.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" Blaise said encouragingly.

Hermione waved them goodbye as she took the large book and quickly made her way to the Headmaster's office.

...

"How did you-? This is never seen before medical magic." William asked as he looked through the important page on Scarlet's family's book. His eyes not leaving from the pages before him. He flipped through the book with awe and amazement.

"This is what Scarlet and Ginny found that could work." Hermione pointed out as she flipped to the page that held the treatment which will give her a chance.

"Seems possible," William nodded as he read through the treatment passage. He smiled gently as he glanced up a her. His smile turned strict as he held a serious gaze. "There are serious risk factors. Once you take the last of the three potions, you will enter a comatose state uncertain of when you will wake up. You will most likely be magic-less in the end because of the parasite. Are you certain you want to do this?"

"It's the better alternative. This gives me hope." She smiled softly to William as she pointed at the medical book.

"Alright, my staff and I will start immediately. According to the passage, you will take a total of three complex every two weeks alongside a series of spells that needs to be performed after every potion. The only potion that may take some time is the final one but we will make it on time for you to take. We should be able to start next week. Please be ready by then." William said in his serious and professional tone.

"Thank you." Hermione hugged him taking him by surprise. His arms frozen to the side as he smiled softly but sadly while looking down at the crown of the head. He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her tight as he felt her body trembling softly. He could tell she was trying to be brave and let it not show but she was just teenager. William stroked her hair gently. "I will be alongside you all the way." He reassured her. She nodded as she slowly backed up from their hug.

"Thank you." She said once again.

...

-One Month Later: Second Potion and Spell Treatment-

Hermione grimaced as she swallowed the thick green liquid the nurse was handing her. She sat on the hospital bed in one of the rooms in their most private wings normally used by families of the Sacred Twenty or just really rich families. As she drowned the potion, she set I down on the nightstand next to her as she readied herself for the next step. Five healers including William stood in the room wands ready as they performed the spells that accompanied the potion. For the second time, Hermione felt strange sensations from her body then it concentrated to her head. In one burst, she felt the pain that she felt the first time she went through the treatment. Trying not to worry the healers, she tried to stop her yelp of pain as she clenched her mouth tight and balled her hands into fists. Small whimpers escaped her mouth as she withheld the pain for the remaining time the spell had to be casted for.

After the spells, one by one the healers left the room for Hermione to rest. As William left the room, she heard someone call her.

"Ms. Granger?"

She saw the elegant figure of Mrs. Malfoy standing at the doorway. "Mrs...Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione said as she tried to lift her upper body to sit up but her body was still weak from the recent treatment.

Mrs. Malfoy saw Hermione struggle to lift herself up so she goes over to her and held her hand, "Don't get up. It's fine...Ms. Granger, if you don't mind me asking, what's going on? Are you alright?"

Hermione turns away from her as she struggled internally as she contemplated over telling her or not. "N-nothing to worry about. I'm sorry but please leave." She said as she tried to sound believable. The medical metronome monitor started to move faster as she started to feel anxious and afraid.

"Ms. Granger-" Mrs. Malfoy started to speak but a healer came back into her room to check on her.

"Mrs. Malfoy? I'm sorry but you can't be in here right now." The healer said as she kindly guided the elegant lady out the room. The healer who has become friends with Hermione could sense Hermione's uneasiness which lead to her asking the female Malfoy Head to leave.

"Thank you, Winabelle." Hermione thanked the Healer. She was genuinely grateful to be rid of the previous situation. She felt so vulnerable and was at loss in what to do for the first time in a very long time.

"Of course, just rest for now." Healer Winabelle covered Hermione with the sheets as she checked her vitals.

...

Time pass by as the last and final treatment approached. Hermione said her farewells to her friends and family just in case of any complications. It was a tearful and depressing day but her friends and family stayed strong and positive for Hermione.

Hermione turned to Blaise. "I know this may be uncomfortable for you, but will you please give this to Draco after my last treatment session." Hermione said with a smile, but tears brimmed at her eyes threatening to fall.

Blaise takes the letter that was addressed to Draco. "Of course. I will see you again soon." He and Hermione held each other tightly until she let go and readied herself to leave for St. Mungo's.

...

-At the same time in the Malfoy Manor-

Mrs. Malfoy tied a letter on the leg of one of the many family owls. She knew of Draco and Hermione 's break up, but she couldn't help but have a dreadful feeling something was wrong.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing." She thought out loud as she watched the bird soar into the sky.

It was lunch time as Draco sat at the Slytherin dining table. He noticed the usual rowdy Gryffindor group were very solemn and quiet. He glanced over at Blaise to say something about them but he also noticed his childhood friend carried a similar look.

"Blaise, what-", he started but his family owl swooped in and stuck out his foot. Draco untied the string and opened the letter that carried his mother's graceful handwriting.

His eyes grew wide as he read and reread the letter several times to make sure he was truly reading what was written on the letter. He quickly turned to Blaise, "Did you know? Why is she in St. Mungo's? What in Merlin's sake is going on?!" Draco grabbed Blaise by the shirt as he shoved the letter in Blaise's face.

Blaise glanced over and just carefully reached into his bag to pull out the letter Hermione gave him. Handing the letter over to Draco, he felt his blonde friend's grip loosen as he took the letter written by Hermione. He recognized her neat and tidy handwriting. Scared to find out what was written on the letter, Draco slowly opened it up with shaky hands. He took a deep breath as he read the letter:

 **My Dear and Beloved Draco,**

 **I'm sorry. I don't know if you can or will, but please forgive** **me. Please don't be mad at our friends. They wanted to tell you, but** **I asked them to hide it from you.**

 **I was diagnosed with a deadly magical parasite in my brain. It was estimated I will not be able to survive past graduation. With everyone's help, I might be able to survive this. According to the treatment we were able find, I might have a 20 percent chance in surviving this. If it works, I will be in a comatose state. It is unknown when I will wake** **. I don't know when or if I will wake up. If the possibility of me waking up is possible, I won't have any magical abilities anymore.**

 **Our short time together made me so happy that it's indescribable. Looking back, I never would have expected to go out with the guy I sucker punched in the face.** Draco chuckled as his tears threatened to fall.

 **I'm not afraid to die, but afraid to leave everyone behind. I** **know we promised to be together forever, but I can't do that anymore.** **Please don't wait for me. Find someone who will** **make you happy.**

 **I'm sorry I couldn't keep our promise.**

 **I love you, Draco Malfoy. Please be happy. That's all I wish.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Hermione.**

"Where is she now?" Draco demanded as he held the letter tight in one hand.

"St. Mungo's. You might make it. I'm sorry for not telling you soon." Blaise said hurriedly. With that, Draco ran out the castle past the it's protection shields and apparated to the wizarding hospital. After finding out where she was treated, he ran desperately to the room hoping to make it on time.

Bursting through the doors, he saw Hermione laying on the bed. She looked so peaceful like she was sleeping. With a sigh of relief after seeing the metronome next to her was still moving rhythmically, Draco walked over to her and held her hand.

"It went well. Now we wait." Hermione's mother said to Draco who he didn't even acknowledge at first. He looked up at her and her husband and nodded as he tightened his lips to hold his sobs. He was overcome with emotions. Everything he just learned within the hour was scary. He felt helpless.

Looking back at Hermione, he brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face with his other hand.

"Y-You foolish girl." He choked out as he gripped her hand.

"You should have told me. I should have been there for you." Draco said as pressed his head against hers as his tears fell down his cheeks and onto her hair. He broke down and couldn't hold it in anymore as his sobs echoed through the room. It didn't matter that Hermione's parents were witnessing his breakdown either.

"I will wait for you no matter what. I love you too." He said determinedly.

A/N: Hello dear readers. I would like to apologize for the very very late update. I am also sorry if this seems rushed. This is all I can do. Please don't be too harsh, but I accept all types of criticism. Thank you agin for reading my story. One last chapter to end this story.

Cheers! One Punch!

DiagonAlleyorBust


	25. Chapter 25: Out of Time

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.

Chapter 25: Out of Time

"It is my pleasure to stand before you as your headmaster. I am proud to see every one of you grow and mature as time progress..." Dumbledore stood at the podium at Hogwarts' Class of 1998 graduation ceremony. Most students were smiling proud of their accomplishment and being able to finally graduate. A few carried solemn and gloomy faces as they stared up at the stage where the Head Boy sat and the space where the Head Girl's seat would have been. Many were puzzled as why the brightest student of all time was missing.

"...And now the Head Boy will give his speech." Dumbledore finished up his speech and nodded at Blaise as he looked at the elder wizard with a troubled look.

Blaise stepped up to the podium, pointed at his throat with his wand and casted the sonorus spell to amplify his voice. After clearing his throat, he began, "Class of 1988. I know many of you are questioning why, our Head Girl, Hermione Granger is not here with us..." He frowned as he didn't want to be the one to disclose Hermione's condition to the wizarding society. He didn't agree with telling others about her. His thoughts went back to when Hermione brought it up to him several months ago.

Flashback.

"I know this is a tall order for you, but I would appreciate if you could do it for me. As my fellow Head and good friend." Hermione said as she sat across from him in the library.

"Why me? Why not Harry or Ron? They are your best friends." Blaise questioned clearly surprised at her sudden request.

"I trust you to be the most levelheaded. I love Ron, but he and speeches do not blend well. I asked Harry, but he wouldn't listen. He said everything was going to be alright and I shouldn't prepare for things that aren't going to happen." Hermione said sadly. "I know he's trying to think positively, but I have to prepare just in case. I don't want people to make rumors and state baseless gossip about me. I want to set them straight." She said with determination.

Despite his attempts of refusal, Hermione eventually had her way and made him comply to her request.

"You are going to come back to us. I know it. No matter how long we are all going to be here waiting." He said confidently to the Gryffindor.

Hermione smiled and nodded.

End Flashback.

"She was diagnosed with a rare magical parasite found in her brain that feeds on her magical abilities. Once one's magical abilities disappears, their life force goes with it." He explained clearly. He could hear gasps and whispers throughout the crowd. The news reporter than was there was activators writing down all her notes and listened carefully.

Resisting his urge to silence them and tear up the reporter's notes, he reluctantly continued. "She was given only months to live. We were able to find a treatment for her to kill the parasite without harming her. The treatment ends with the patient in a comatose state and because it is such a rare case, we do not know when she will wake up from the treatment."

Then he started to hear more whispers, hints of "will she ever wake up?" and "No way." Angered by the comments of the crowd, he slammed his hand down on the podium. "Her friends and I believe in her! She will wake up! She will!" He said roughly towards the audience.

Blaise was disappointed at himself. Hermione chose him to tell the people because she thought he would be the most level headed but he was nowhere near it. He frustratedly sat back down after saying a short congratulations to the graduating class.

...

"Here's another set." Ginny said as she rolled a cart of flowers, letters, and gifts signed to Hermione Granger in the hospital room Hermione was resting in.

"Another?" Ron said surprised. He helped Ginny by pulling the cart in and moving it to the crowded section of the room that adorned numerous gifts and flowers already.

"They are just doing this so they won't feel bad about badmouthing her during Blaise's speech." Harry commented sourly. "Where are the others? I thought they were with you." He said as he looked behind Ginny and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"They were until they were bombarded by a mob of reporters looking for a scoop." Ginny huffed. "They-" she started but was interrupted by the door swinging open.

In came, Blaise and Scarlet holding hands and Draco not far behind them. "This is why I hate reporters." Blaise said out loud to no one in particular. "They were trying to get the healers to tell them Hermione's room number. We were able to lose them after then tried to follow us before getting here."

"They are just trying to do their job. Invasive but it provides the food for their family." Scarlet said trying to defend the media even though she didn't have a great opinion of them after seeing what she saw today.

Walking to the side of her bed, Draco held Hermione's hand. "How is she?" Draco asked as he kept his gaze on her.

"William said everything that could go well went well so far. Her vitals are stable. The parasite is in its last stage of death, and they will be able to extract it with no problem in a few days." He said as he glanced around. He saw Ginny nod as she held Scarlet's hand tight in nervousness. Harry then continued as he stared at Draco's back facing him. "They found that she has only a sliver of magical ability left. They were able to stop it in time before it was all gone, but they predict she won't have functioning magic once she wakes. Now, all we do is wait." Harry disclosed to everyone in the room.

...

10 years later.

"Let's go visit Aunt Hermione today." Ginny said as she dressed her children to go out. James, age 5, and Lily, age 4, nodded excitedly.

"Yay! Let's do it." Lily exclaimed. "I'm bringing my drawing today to show Aunt Hermione." She ran to grab her drawing off the table after she pulled on her mittens and coat.

"Is Alec going to be there?" James asked his mom as he help his sister put on her scarf after putting on his.

"Of course." Ginny said as she tidied the two children up. After she was satisfied with their appearance, she grabbed their hands and led them to the fireplace.

A few moments later

"I can never get used to Floo Powder." Rose coughed as she accidentally inhaled some powder during the process. She swatted at the air to clean the breathing air around her.

"Don't worry, you will." Ginny said as she grabbed both her children's hands to led them down the familiar corridor to the designated room.

"There you guys are." Ginny heard a male voice say.

"Dad!" Both children exclaimed and ran to Harry. He just got off work as an Auror alongside Ron and arrived a few minutes before his family.

"I missed you guys." He said as he bent down to kiss and hug them.

"We missed you-" Lily started and saw Alec and his parents enter the room. "Alec!" She called out and waved. She heard her dad clear his throat.

"Sorry, Dad-" After realizing what she had done, she apologized sheepishly. Harry smiled and ruffled her hair. "Get going." He said. She then kissed Harry's cheek and ran to meet her friend.

"Missed you, dad." James said as he wrapped his arms around his father as much as he could.

"How was the man of house when I was gone?" Harry asked as he hugged James and picked him up.

"Great, I was a good big brother to Lily and I did all my chores." James said proudly as he beamed.

"That's my boy." Harry chuckled.

"Sorry, we were a bit late. Took me a while to hunt down this kid when we were playing hide and go seek. Tip: If you ever want to play hide and go seek with a child in a huge estate, DON'T." Blaise said as he pointed to his son who was occupied in telling Lily about his hiding place.

"We had everyone searching for him. Eventually, he was just ten feet away from the starting point." Scarlet said as she walked up to stand next to Blaise.

"Don't forget me." Draco said as he stepped into the room. Everyone greeted him with enthusiasm. The children ran towards him and hugged him excitedly as he hugged them back just as happily.

The adults caught up with each other as did the children. After a while, Ginny gathered everyone around.

"Alright kids, greet Aunt Hermione." Ginny told the children as they walked up to the bed where Hermione rested.

James was the first one to walk up next to her. He started as he looked at her sleeping face. "Hi Aunt Hermione, it's James again. This week, dad wasn't home for three days for his work so I was the man of house. Mum says I'm like of like you in many ways...I just finished reading your favorite book for the third time. Lily says I'm boring when I don't play with her, but it's okay. She's doesn't mean it. She's a good kid. I hope you wake up soon." James walked away giving room to his sister.

Since she was smaller than James, Lily pulled a stool over to the bed. After settling on the stool, she pulled it close to the where Hermione's head lay. She pulled out her drawing. "Aunt Hermione, I drew this for you. Since you are sleeping, I will tell you what I drew. This is you in the middle with everyone all around you holding hands. We are all smiling because we are so happy to be together. This is me." She said as she pointed at a figure on her drawing. "James." She pointed to another figure on her drawing. She continued this until she went through every figure she drew. "See you next time, Aunt Hermione." She hopped off her stool, kissed Hermione's cheek, and walked to the drawer that kept their drawings and gifts they gave Hermione in the past.

"Aunt Hermione? It's me, Alec. I hope you wake up soon so we can play together. Dad and Mum are sad that you keep sleeping. I hear them talk to each other when I'm hiding so they don't know I'm there." Blaise and Scarlet's eyes widened when they heard what Alec said. "I know you are resting, but can you play? Please just wake up once so we can play and talk. You can rest afterwards. Let me tell you a secret," he leaned in and cupped his hands to his mouth. "The library has the best hiding spots." He whispered and said "bye" to Hermione with a smile.

...

"Welcome back, Young Master." A house elf greeted as he entered the large manor. He nodded to the house elf. The house elf walked somewhere into the manor to continue his duties.

As he was removing his outer wear, he heard footsteps strolling through the halls. "There you are, Draco." Mrs. Malloy said as she walked up to him.

"Hello, mother." He greeted as Narcissa fixed his collar.

"Were you with the others? How is she doing?" She asked.

He nodded. "Everything is stable. Still no changes." He said solemnly.

Narcissa looked at her son. He looked so tired and ragged despite his attempts to smile and reassure people he was fine. "Dear, it's been ten years-" Placing a hand on his arm, Narcissa started to say as she looked up at her son. Although it has been ten years, Draco looked like he aged twenty. Even though he still adorned his handsome features he had inherited from his parents, he looked like he went through a lot of stress and turmoil.

"Mother, we have talked about this. I don't want to find someone else. I'm waiting for her, no matter what." Draco said exasperatedly.

"I know, dear. Please, just this once. She is a very nice lady. Ms. Granger wished for you to move on and find happiness." Narcissa said gently trying to persuade him.

"I will wait for her no matter what." He said sternly with no waver in his voice. He started to get agitated at his mother. At himself. At this situation. At the slipping belief from others that Hermione with wake up soon.

Narcissa gave up trying to convince him and sighed. "It's been ten years. Ten..."

"And I will wait ten more if needed." He retorted. He stormed away up the stairs to his quarters leaving his mother staring up at his retreating back.

...

Draco sat waiting at his usual cafe to have lunch with his mother. She said she wanted to apologize about the other day and wanted to have a nice lunch with him. As he sat reading the menu for the daily special, he heard the seat across from him drag across the floor and felt the presence of someone joining him.

"There is a nice soup special today, mother. What do you think?" He asked not looking away from the menu.

Not hearing his mother voice, Draco furrowed his brows and set the menu down. In front of him sat a petite but elegant brunette, she looked at him kindly and smiled.

"Hello, my name is Ezra Rashel. Your mother scheduled for us to meet." She said as she raised her hand for a handshake.

"Draco Malfoy." He said as he shook her hand briefly with his furrowed eyebrows. "I'm sorry? My mother told you to come here?" He asked to clarify her statement. He was bewildered and furious. How could she? Trick him into a blind date after he refused many times before.

He heard her speaking and realized she was talking to him. "I'm sorry, Miss Rashel. I know my mother set us up to meet here but I'm leaving. Feel free to stay if you would like." He said as he placed some Galleons on the table.

She looked at him baffled as she watched him walk out the door.

Fury with rage, he apparated himself to Malfoy Manor. He slammed the front door open causing the House elf that was near the entrance to jump from the sudden loud movement and sound.

"Draco? What are you doing home?" He heard his mother's voice question him.

"You should know, mother! How could you? Without my permission, you just-" He started to say.

"How dare you raise your voice against your own mother, Draco. Lucius. Malfoy." She said coldly and calmly.

"You can't just do that, mother." He said again with firmness as he lowered his voice.

"It's what Miss Granger would have wanted." Mrs. Malfoy said softly as she matched his tone.

"How would you know?" He asked frustratedly as he looked at his mother and noticed her expression was grim. "D-do you know something I don't?" She nodded solemnly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger spoke with me and told me that Hermione has already signed the "Do Not Resuscitate" form. The treatment period is almost over. We don't know how much longer is left." His mother said grimly.

"Why was I not informed of this sooner?" He said slowly as he stared in his mother's sad eyes.

"We thought she would have woken up by now. If we told you before, I-" She began to say as Draco ran straight out the door and disappear immediately into a whip of grey smoke once he reached the apparition area.

...

Gripping onto a copy of the parchment that held Hermione's Magical Signature, Draco slowly opened the door to her dark hospital room. As a source of dim light in the room, the metronome sat on one side of her bed and steadily swung to and fro as it matched her beating heart. She appeared so peaceful as if she was just resting for the moment. He walked to her side slowly as he pulled a chair close to the bed. As he sat, he reached for her hand and grasped it as if it he let go, she would disappear.

"Hermione. It's time to wake up." He said calmly but forlornly as he kissed the back of her hand and placed it against his cheek. He could feel her warm hand but he didn't feel the usual warmth he was used to when they normally embrace.

"It's time. It's time. Please. You are running out of time." He begged as he held her hand against his cheek. He placed the parchment that read with large letters on top "Do Not Resuscitate" on the night stand next to her bed. One side of the parchment apparent with creases of where he gripped it tightly. Draco brought his hand over and brushed a stray hair out of her face.

After studying her face and the parchment next to her for what seemed like hours, he stood up and shook her shoulders. "Wake up! It's time to wake up! Everyone is waiting for you! We need you!" He yelled desperately. He felt hopeless and beside himself. He didn't know what to do. With this new information, he was even more desperate. She was running out of time. What can he do now?

As the pendulum started to swing faster, the metronome next to the bed began to turn red in urgency as he continued to shake her. Bells coming from the device signaled the staff of the need of the patient for their presence.

Running in as soon as they could with their cloaks flowing behind them, they saw the scene before them. "Drake! Let go of her right now!" William shouted as he signaled the other healers to grab Draco away from Hermione.

"She's running out of time!" He said as he tried to break free to go back to her.

"I know, but we can't stress her body. All we can do is wait." William explained to him as Draco stared helplessly at the bed that Hermione laid.

"She's running out of time..." Draco said once more. He hung his head as he bit his lips to prevent himself from sobbing. A lone tear fell his cheek and quietly dripped to the ground of the hospital room.

A/n: Happy New Year, all! I know I said one last chapter but I split it up to two. So next one is surely my last. Sorry if this chapter isn't as good as the others. But I still hope you liked it.

One Punch!

Cheers to the new year,

DiagonAlleyorBust


	26. Chapter 26: The End

Chapter 26: The End

...

Another 3 months passed.

"Agh..." she heard a gruff voice. It seemed like it came from her but I sounded so foreign. Everything seemed so fuzzy. She slowly blinked to adjust her eyesight.

Hearing voices outside the room, she listened, "Oh you are here. Mr and Mrs. Granger."

"Yes, we believe in our daughter. Even if the estimated time for the treatment to wear off is one more week, we know she will wake up soon." She heard what sounded like her father say.

"You better go rest, dear. You look tired." She then heard her mother say. Footsteps could be heard walking down the hallway and away from the door as she heard the door handle to the room she was in turn.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Everything was fuzzy at the moment. What was she doing here? Where am I? She looked over at the night stand and saw the familiar metronome. Then everything rushed back to her mind. The parasite. The treatment. The decisions she chose to go through. How is Mum and Dad? How is everyone? Did a lot of time pass as she slept? ...How did Draco take her letter?

Hermione struggled to sit up but her arms didn't listen well. She used as much strength as she can muster and propped herself up by her elbows. Surprised by the movement, the bed magically tilted forward to support her as she thankfully smiled. Turning towards the window, her reflection surprised her. She looked different than she remembered. She seemed a bit more grown, a bit more mature. Time must of passed a lot as she pondered to herself. She heard something fall on the ground and a gasp.

She turned towards the door and saw her parents rush to her side ignoring the basket and flowers she dropped on the ground. "My dear! You are awake!" Hermione's mother gripped her hand desperately afraid if she let go, Hermione would be back in her comatose sleep. Richard was frozen speechless as Hermione saw tears glisten at his eyes threatening to fall. She nodded happily as she felt her own tears slide down her cheeks. Her parents aged a lot more than she did it seemed. Faces filled with worry lines and wrinkles due to stress and grief.

"I-I'm sorr-y for putting you guys t-hrough this. H-how long as it been?" She asked as her voice croaked due to the long time of not using it. Her tears flowed from her overwhelming emotions of sadness and happiness.

"Eleven years. Eleven long ones." Her father answered her after her parents glanced at each other.

Eleven years. Wow. That was all she could think of at the moment.

Before Hermione could say anything else, she heard a third person enter the room. "You're awake.." A male gasp she vaguely recognized as the Slytherin boy she fell for. Her parents shifted aside to make room for him. He hurriedly raced over to her side and gingerly cupped her face with his hands. He scanned her face and stared at her honey colored eyes for a longest time trying to capture it in his mind. "You wreakless but brave girl." He said finally as he smiled the brightest smile she had ever seen him smile.

"You waited for me?" She said with her hoarse voice.

"Of course I did. We all did." He replied to her as she questioned his statement with a raised eyebrow.

...

A few years later.

Crash! A priceless vase fell from its display stand.

"Scorp! Why did you move?"

"You were going to hit me with that!" Scorpius replied to his sister, Rose.

"Now mum is going to reprimand us and it's all your fault." Rose said with a huff as she crossed her arms.

"What?! What does that repri-..what does that even mean? Just because you are just a few minutes older doesn't mean you can bully me. How is it my fault? You are the one using magic indoors." Scorpius shouted back.

"It means mum is going to scold us. Read some books, will you?" Rose said snobbishly.

"I do read! I just can't read as high as you yet." Scorpius retorted.

"Just because we are six, doesn't mean we limit ourselves to certain levels of literacy." Rose said.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Scorp said, "so what do we do with this?" He asked as he moved his hand around in the vase's direction.

"Let's get Dad's w-" Rose started to say as she smiled mischievously.

"Get Dad's what?" They heard a deep voice say at the door way.

The twins gasped as they heard their dad and turned around slowly to face the door.

"What are you two up to?" Smirking, Draco asked as he leaned against the frame of the doorway.

"Uh, nothing." Rose said as she looked everywhere other than her dad. She saw Scorpius shake his head furiously.

"Doesn't look like nothing." Draco said as he crouched down to her level so she had to look at her dad's grey eyes that mirrored hers.

"...we were practicing magic. We slipped and hit the vase on accident." Rose gave in and told her father.

"Please don't tell mum. I don't want her mad at us." Scorp said with sad eyes as he looked at his dad.

Draco sighed exasperatedly. "You guys tire me out." After pulling out his wand, he brandished it and the pieces of the vases picked themselves up and once completely settled back on its display stand. "Last time, I won't tell your mother-"

"Tell me what exactly." They heard a kind but stern voice from the door way. All three became alert and stood up straight. Rose rushed to her mother and hugged her legs.

"Just that we love you." Rose said as she clung on her legs. Hermione bent down to hug her back as Scorpius followed suit. Draco smiled seeing the people he loved most together in a tight embrace.

Knowing that she wasn't going to get any information out of the two rascals that she loved with all of her heart, she didn't force it any further. "Alright, you guys. Uncle Harry and his family are coming over soon. So get ready to greet them."

"Yay!" Scorpius and Rose both exclaimed as they released their mother and ran towards the study where the Floo worked.

RHermione smiled as she stood to face her husband. "I am going to get it out of you, you know?" She raised her eyebrow. They started to walk out of the room into the hallway.

Draco reached over to her shoulder and pulled her close as she hugged his waist. He chuckled. "I know."

A/n: Last chapter. I finally finished! Thank you for those of you who were with me from the beginning. Thank you for the ones who read my story and stuck with it. I hope it was to your liking! I'm sorry the last chapter was so short. I meant to finish at Ch. 25 but I made it a two chapter thing so Chapter 26 is a bit short. Sorry it too so long too.

I hope you all had a nice time reading it as much as I had a great time writing it. I might start on a new story soon that isn't as long but also a Draco/Hermione story. I also have a One shot Draco/Hermione if any is interested. Thank you!

Please stay tuned.

DiagonAlleyorBust


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